Two Men, Once Force
by RPGZero
Summary: It is the year UC 0093. The battle between Londo Bell and Neo Zeon comes to a close, but as a radical anti-Feddie group gives Neo Zeon sanctuary, Londo Bell pilot and former Blue Destiny pilot Yuu Kajima must team with an unlikely partner to lead Londo Be
1. Default Chapter

Two Men, Once Force Chapter I: The End of Amuro Ray  
  
The final battle of the Second Neo Zeon war had now reached its climax. The Jegans of the Londo Bell task force were dueling with the Geara Dogas of Neo Zeon. The war was hostile to both sides. Though Londo Bell was outnumbered in terms of ships and Mobile Suits they were more skilled, and Neo Zeon ships fell one by one.  
  
"Damn . . ." Yuu Kajima said to himself.  
  
"Sir!" a lone soldier in the Jegan cried.  
  
Yuu's Jegan quickly whipped out its beam saber and parried an attack from a Geara Doga's beam saber. He dashed back and fired his beam rifle on the enemy Suit, destroying it.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Axis is ripping apart! We can't get too close!"  
  
"I can see that, dammit! But Colonel Noa and his men are inside the asteroid, they need more fire power to cover the Ra Cailum!"  
  
"B-But sir!"  
  
Sudden explosions ripped from the asteroid as the Ra Cailum rose from Axis.  
  
"Looks like the Colonel's out . . . hey, soldier, can you cover me while I make contact with the Ra Chattar?"  
  
"That's what I'm here for, sir! The Ra Chattar! It's been blown out of the sky!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"That's what I'm here to tell you! The Ra Kiev is ready to intercept you!"  
  
"Where are the survivors of the Ra Chattar?"  
  
"None . . . none, sir . . . you're the only survivor. We haven't identified any other Mobile Suits from that ship that survived either."  
  
Yuu was shocked. His Jegan backed away from Axis and followed the lone Jegan back to the Ra Kiev, which was in the middle of being bombarded by Geara Dogas. The Neo Zeon mainstream MS were, however, slowly falling one by one, but it was really the Musaka class ship showering the Ra Kiev with missiles and beam shots that were a threat. Yuu's Jegan broke away from a group of Mobile Suits and dived towards the Musaka.  
  
"Lieutenant Kajima!"  
  
"Argh . . ."  
  
The lone Jegan swerved past the top of the Musaka and fired its beam rifle, disabling one of its main beam guns. Yuu avoided a barrage of attacks from random Mobile Suits while fighting them off and ventured underneath the enemy ship. He backed under it and fired the last bit of energy left in his e-cap at a Geara Doga.  
  
"Damn, that was my last one."  
  
Yuu ditched his beam rifle and dashed to the back of the Musaka. He pulled out his beam saber and drove it into one of its large thrusters and fired a missile into it as he backed away back towards the Ra Kiev. The Musaka's thrusters exploded. Slowly, the entire ship was engulfed in flames.  
  
"Lieutenant Kajima!"  
  
"Is the Ra Kiev okay?"  
  
"We've received orders from the Ra Cailum to back as far away from Axis as much as possible."  
  
"What about the Rewloola?"  
  
"We can't find it . . . oh no!"  
  
"What happened? What's wrong?"  
  
"Axis! It's . . . it's entering Earth!"  
  
On the Ra Cailum, Bright Noa and his crewmen scrambled on board the bridge staring at Axis.  
  
"Where's Captain Amuro?" Bright shouted across the bridge.  
  
"We've got it . . . he's right under Axis!"  
  
"Under Axis? What the hell does he think he's doing?"  
  
"Looks like he's going to push it all by himself."  
  
"Can't we use the Ra Cailum to help push it?"  
  
"Are you nuts?! Do you want to go down with that rock?!"  
  
Back outside, Yuu Kajima dashed towards Axis but was immediately held back by two Jegans.  
  
"Let go!"  
  
"Sorry, Lieutenant Kajima, we're not letting you go!"  
  
"Are you guys blind? That's Captain Amuro's Gundam under there!"  
  
"We can't let you fall, too!"  
  
"But . . . Axis . . . Earth . . . Amy . . . Kristen . . ."  
  
The soldier realized that Yuu was mumbling the names of his wife and child. "Can't let you go down, sir."  
  
"Hey, what are those going towards Axis? They look like . . . Mobile Suits . . .?"  
  
"Feddies, sir! They're GMs!"  
  
Suddenly, out of no where, a lone Geara Doga blasted towards Yuu with its gun cocked and loaded. For a second, Yuu's entire life flashed before his eyes. A single shot from a beam rifle blazed across space as Yuu blinked. When his eyes opened back up, nothing was left of the Geara Doga that was in front of him but the explosion it left behind. Not far from Yuu was another Jegan. This one had its beam rifle extended. Yuu took a quick look at his savior and took note of the Jegan's unit number "789". The Jegan soon flew off, leaving Yuu and the Jegan accompanying him behind.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Amy!" Yuu screamed into the phone.  
  
"Oh God, honey, I was so worried."  
  
"Thank God you're alright. I knew you got of the Lhasa base as fast as possible."  
  
"I've got a few connections to thank for that."  
  
"How's Kristen?"  
  
"Doing fine. A whole lot better than I am. When there was disorder everywhere she didn't make a sound. She's got her father's heart."  
  
It was only a few hours ago that Axis was on the verge of hitting Earth. But somehow . . . somehow it didn't. Was it an act of kindness from a greater power? Was it a miscalculation from Zeon? Or was it . . .was it something even higher. Something that just had to do with Captain Amuro Ray and the will of every Londo Bell soldier fighting this war.  
  
"When are you coming home?"  
  
"Don't know. Hopefully soon."  
  
"I'm stationed at the base in Africa now. I need you, Yuu."  
  
"I need you, too, Amy."  
  
"I've got to go. I love you."  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
Yuu hung up the phone and floated down the halls of the Ra Kiev and was confronted by Petty Officer Charles Danktum.  
  
"Sir, why aren't you celebrating with everyone else?!"  
  
"Not in the mood."  
  
"Aww, come on, sir. We just won the battle."  
  
"We lost Captain Ray."  
  
"You don't know that! They haven't found anything from the Nu Gundam in the area. He's alive and you know it."  
  
But he wasn't alive. Londo Bell's head pilot - the legendary Newtype of the One Year War, Amuro Ray was dead. "I'm going to sleep. Wake me up when we get to Londenion."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Nanai Miguel slouched in her chair in the bridge of the Rewloola. Major Char Aznable was gone. That wasn't the only thing that was gone, though.  
  
Her future was gone now. Her hopes, her dreams, her desires . . . all down the drain. Neo Zeon was as good as dead.  
  
"Nanai, where are we going?"  
  
Can't go back to Sweetwater. No way we can go back to Sweetwater. Nanai kept thinking, but everything she did, her head would hurt even more. Sweetwater was the only option, but if they went there, the Feddies would hunt them down and drag them out in no time.  
  
"Ms. Nanai?"  
  
"Why can't we just crash the Rewloola into whatever's left of Axis? It would make things so much easier."  
  
"Ms. Nanai . . ."  
  
"Well, it sure as hell would!" she said in a drunken rage. The officer didn't respond. "How many Musakas do we have left . . . how many Mobile Suits do we have left?"  
  
"Three Musakas and about 17 Geara Dogas."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"That's it, ma'am."  
  
"Ugh . . ."  
  
An excited soldier soon ran into the room.  
  
"Ms. Nanai! We've received a message from Side 3 52 Bunch!"  
  
"What?" she said lazily.  
  
"They've decided to take us in!"  
  
"Are you sure it's not a Feddie trap?"  
  
"No way, ma'am. This entire message was completely anonymous and the source is legit anti-Federation."  
  
"And how the hell do we know that?"  
  
". . ."  
  
Nanai sat up. "Make a course for Side 3 52 Bunch. Whether we're caught there or not, it speeds up the process."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Three weeks have now passed. The Londo Bell fleet is now resting at Londenion until they get new orders.  
  
"Can you believe this? We save Earth and this is all the thanks we get?"  
  
"Yeah! We deserve a whole lot more!"  
  
Yuu moped around his room on board the Ra Kiev. He didn't want money or a prize. He just wanted to go back home. Yuu lied down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. "789 . . ."  
  
Yuu still wondered who the person who saved him was. He rose from the bed as he heard three hard knocks on his door.  
  
"Who is it?"  
  
"It's me, Charles, Lieutenant."  
  
Yuu swung open the door. "What's up?"  
  
"Sir, we're going to return to Red Alert soon."  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"Orders. Neo Zeon's re-armed. Captain Bright is waiting for supplies from both the Federal Forces and Anaheim Electronics before we move."  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"We've received classified intelligence that Neo Zeon's been hiding out with a rogue group at Side 3 that believes in the old ideas of a Zeonic dictatorship."  
  
"The fighting . . . it never stops . . ."  
  
"This is for you." He hands Yuu a letter.  
  
Yuu took the envelope and ripped it open. He pulled the letter out and started reading. After he finished he crumpled the letter and tossed it aside. "There must be some mistake."  
  
"What is it? What did it say?"  
  
"They're moving me to the Ra Cailum. They want me to head the Mobile Suit fleet along with someone else."  
  
"Really, sir?! You deserve it!"  
  
"No . . . no I don't. That was Captain Amuro's spot. I'm no hero."  
  
"What else did it say?"  
  
"Promotion . . . new prototype . . . the whole nine yards."  
  
"Sir, you really should take the offer. Everyone knows about your resume and the Gundam Blue Destiny! That's why you were chosen to be a part of Londo Bell. You'd make a great head pilot." Charles picked up the crumpled piece of paper and opened it up. "You'll be paired up with pilot 789?"  
  
Yuu's eyes quickly widened. He only skimmed through the letter, and somehow, those three numbers evaded his eye. Yuu grabbed the letter and took a look at it. "Now that's a pilot . . ."  
  
"You know him?"  
  
"No. Not really. Not at all. But I know he was the one who saved us back during the battle at Axis."  
  
"Ah . . . well, sir. I think you should take up the offer. A new war needs a new leader."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Mmhmm. Bright Noa picked your name."  
  
"Alright . . ." Yuu said, turning to pack his stuff and head out to the Ra Cailum.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Why was HE chosen?" a Londo Bell soldier asked.  
  
"Yeah, he doesn't deserve it. He's a real brute, that's for sure, but I don't HIM leading us."  
  
"Yeah, I mean, Lieutenant Kajima definitely deserves the spot he's getting, but to have to be a co-head with HIM? You've got to be kidding me."  
  
"The guy hardly talks. He's got issues."  
  
"Hey, guys, what's up?" Yuu Kajima said, climbing onto the Ra Cailum.  
  
"Hey, Lieutenant, have you met your "co-head" yet?"  
  
"Uh, no, I haven't. But, I am excited."  
  
"You shouldn't be. He doesn't even belong here."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"That guy is trash, man. You can tell by looking into his evil eyes. He was never one of us, and he never should."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"That guy, he was never with the AEUG."  
  
"Was he Kalaba?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Federation?" Yuu interrogated.  
  
"Kind of."  
  
"Kind of? What does that mean?"  
  
"What I'm saying is . . . he was a Titan."  
  
"Titans? But . . . how?"  
  
"The pay was good for him. He was a great asset for them and the Federation didn't want him, so they threw him with us. Everybody thought he was dead, but he keeps on escaping death. Look, here he comes now!"  
  
The men stopped and watched as a tall, blonde haired man stepped out into the open. As he walked, the people around him were like the Red Sea, making a path for him as he walked by.  
  
"That's him?" said Yuu, sounding intimidated.  
  
"That's him. Yazan Gable."  
  
Yazan looked over at Yuu, and the two future partners gave each other a quick stare before moving on. This was going to be a long war . . .  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	2. The Fire in the Sky

Two Men, One Force Chapter 2: The Fire in the Sky  
  
"And today, an unidentified group linked with remnants of the Neo Zeon militia has again struck."  
  
Yuu Kajima sat back and looked over at his desk. There, sat his uniform along with his medals recognizing his promotion. Under it, were papers concerning the new Mobile Suit model developed by Anaheim Electronics. Next to them was a small photo that he was trying to ignore, but his eyes dragged his head over to it. It was a picture of his family. The family that he misses. The family that he wants to be with. Yuu turned his attention back to the television.  
  
"The group has made many terrorist acts including today's bomb that detonated around the generator of a colony. The death toll is said to be catastrophic with no survivors in sight. The recent attacks have had no warning nor any claiming to the attack, but Federation advisors claim that they are sure that the attackers are this underground group."  
  
"And still, we sit back and do nothing."  
  
Yuu got up and kicked his bag. He sighed as he saw some of his clothes spread along the floor. Across from him was the shirt Amy picked out for him during Father's Day. Not his favorite shirt, but it did contain a lot of sentimental value. So much had happened within the past few days.  
  
"The Black Dream," he whispered to himself.  
  
Suddenly, there was knock on the door. The knock was loud, cold, and unwelcoming. Yuu had a pretty good idea who it was. The impression he had left on Yuu the day before was one that scared Yuu . . .  
  
"That's him?" Yuu asked. "He was a member of the Titans?"  
  
"Yep," a soldier answered. "That's him. Yazan Gable."  
  
"Yazan Gable, huh?"  
  
"Just by looking at the guy you can tell that he's not somebody that you wanna' get cozy with. The Titans . . . a bunch of freaks."  
  
"Stop that!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Not everybody in the Titans was okay with the corruption. Some did it because they had to. Because . . . because they were orders."  
  
"Yuu . . . come on now . . ."  
  
"There were people in the Titans that didn't know anything!"  
  
"Kid, this guy stayed in the Titans after Char Aznable gave that speech on Earth."  
  
Yuu didn't answer back. He merely listened.  
  
"At the final battle at Gryps, about 800 AEUG members died and about 1,300 Titans died. He wasn't one of them. He fought til' the end. He fought for a 'cause that puts us all the shame. Save yourself some breath, Yuu. He's only here for the money."  
  
Yuu looked away. The Titans. What a group they were. Patriotic the evil deeds they carried out from 0083 to 0088. Then again, there were people in the Titans that didn't know anything . . . but, it looks like this guy wasn't one of them . . .  
  
On the bridge of the Ra Cailum, Bright Noa paced back and forth.  
  
"He's back, sir."  
  
"Let him in."  
  
A small ship docked into the Ra Cailum which was only now leaving Side 1. Within a few minutes, a Londo Bell soldier stepped onto the bridge. He salutes Bright.  
  
"Captain Bright."  
  
"Lieutenant Albarez."  
  
"I've picked up all of this from Anaheim Electronics, sir. They say it's everything we need."  
  
"Jegans."  
  
"What about them, sir?"  
  
"We're obviously going to need a lot more of them if this new threat is real."  
  
"Anaheim Electronics has already billed the Earth Federation. We're getting a whole lot of new equipment."  
  
"That's good to hear."  
  
"Those two new models are lookin' good. I've taken a look at them myselves."  
  
"Anything at the level of Nu Gundam?"  
  
"Only if we had a pilot that was a Newtype the level of Captain Ray . . ."  
  
Bright didn't answer. His response to that would be one of mixed emotions. It would be one of anger, but also one of his rare demonstrations of sorrow. Bright looked through the papers and blueprints he was given.  
  
"The Lionheart and the Gundam Miracle?"  
  
"The two latest designs just off the shelf, sir"  
  
"Not bad. We'll store them both on the Ra Cailum."  
  
Bright walked away and stored the files. There was a short silence in the room. Bright turned back around and realized Lieutenant Albarez was still there.  
  
"Lieutenant?"  
  
"Sir, can I just ask you about your selection of pilots?"  
  
Bright sighed. His face showed a sign of both disbelief and regret, "What about them?"  
  
"Sir, not to put down your judgment, but . . ."  
  
"I know . . ." Bright took a deep breath. "But I'm final with my choices. Yuu Kajima, former Earth Federation pilot and had the highest kill count at the battle at the California base. Yazan Gable, ace pilot who had a high kill count as a member of the Titans. I trust the abilities of both of these men."  
  
"It's not their abilities I'm worried about, sir . . ."  
  
"You are dismissed, Lietenant Albarez."  
  
" . . . Yes, sir."  
  
"No . . . wait . . ."  
  
"Yes, sir?"  
  
"Bring me Lietenant Kajima."  
  
"Of course, sir."  
  
In about 10 minutes Yuu was on the bridge of the Ra Cailum. He stopped in front of the battle-hardened warship captain and looked on him with a certain awe.  
  
"Lieutenant Kajima."  
  
"Yes, sir?'  
  
"You do know the role you're taking on, right?"  
  
"Yes, sir. I'm going to try my best, sir."  
  
"You . . ."  
  
Yuu stood up straight, listening. Bright looked uneasy.  
  
"You know about the other soldier I promoted, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, sir. Yazan Gable."  
  
"Do you have a problem with him?"  
  
"No, sir. Not at all."  
  
"You do know he was a Titan?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"And that's something you don't have a problem with?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"That's good to hear. Some of the soldiers have been complaining to me every few minutes on why he got a promotion." Bright pulls out some paperwork. "Here, take these."  
  
Yuu took them and immediately began to look over them. "The Miracle Gundam?"  
  
"It's a new prototype. I've heard about you and the GM Blue Destiny Unit 01 and the Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 03."  
  
Memories of the One Year War quickly flashed by Yuu's eyes. Blue Destiny . . . EXAM . . . Marion . . . Nimbus Schatzen . . .  
  
"I know you'll do fine . . . the Black Dream . . . that's what they're called . . ."  
  
"The Black Dream, sir?"  
  
"During the One Year War, the Federation set up a small camp at Side 3. When they declared independence, though, the group stationed at Side 3 was declared neutral. It wasn't allowed to fight in the war, and the Zeons kept a close eye on them. But . . . this group started to negotiate with the Zeons . . . and with the Zabis. It was as if they converted. After the war ended, they returned to the Earth Federation and became members of the Titans. Soon after the Titans were wiped out, they joined up with Neo Zeon . . ."  
  
"Why so many defections, sir?"  
  
"That's not what they consider it. They consider themselves loyal to the Zabi family, and only worked with the Federation and Titans because it was their duty as soldiers."  
  
"So they're out for revenge . . ."  
  
"We're not too sure what they want . . . all we know is that they're responsible for terrorist actions."  
  
"Is this it, sir?"  
  
"Yes. Go get some rest. We'll be at luna in a little while."  
  
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."  
  
Yuu floated down the halls of the ship, when suddenly, he heard a ruckus going on in the lounge area. He quickly jetted into the scene and watched Yazan fight off two other pilots.  
  
"Hey!" Yuu screamed. He jumped in-between the men and promptly stopped the fight. The men had too much respect for Yuu to keep fighting. The two other soldiers backed off and walked away. Yazan merely stood there.  
  
"Break it up already. Go back to what you're doing."  
  
One by one, Londo Bell pilots exited the lounge. Soon, the only two that were left were Yazan and Yuu. The took a look at each other . . . Yazan with his blank face and Yuu with a half-smile.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Yazan motioned to walk away, but Yuu stopped him.  
  
"Hey, where you going. You're Yazan Gable, right?"  
  
"Yeah, that's me. And you're Yuu Kajima."  
  
"Yeah. We've both been promoted."  
  
"So I've heard."  
  
"Listen, is it true what they say?"  
  
"That I'm a Titan? Yeah."  
  
"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, that you're in this just for the money."  
  
"That's right. That's all I'm here for."  
  
Yuu stood there and merely stared at the large man.  
  
"It would've been different if we were back in '87 . . ."  
  
". . . ?"  
  
"The Titans. We were something back then. We were the elite of the elite. We lived each day knowing that we were superior. We were real pilots back then. The Titans. The single greatest fleet that the Earth elite had to offer. The spacenoids wouldn't be here if it weren't for the Earth elite. Londo Bell is just a bunch of dogs doing the Feddies dirty work. The Titans. We were independent."  
  
"But . . . we protect Earth."  
  
Yazan turned to Yuu and laughed. He hadn't laughed in a long time, he enjoyed the moment.  
  
"Kid, you've got a lot to learn about life."  
  
Yazan walked away, leaving Yuu behind. Yuu sighed and thought about everything that had just happened.  
  
A large black ship moved among the stars. Its presence was cloaked by that of the darkness that stretched from one galaxy to the next. This was the Black Omen.  
  
In the conference area, Nanai Miguel sat down, twiddling her thumbs in front of her coffee. She looked down but saw nothing but the hatred that she had for the Federation.  
  
"Major Miguel, the Rewloola along a few other ships are approaching Von Braun at this moment."  
  
She was silent. She said nothing, but her mouth was open. It was a disturbing site.  
  
"Major Miguel?"  
  
"I still think I should've gone with them."  
  
"Not in your state, Major Miguel."  
  
"Admiral . . . those are my men . . . the same way they were Char's men. I need to lead them. You control your men however you want, but the Neo Zeon are the people I can relate to . . . rejects . . . we're all rejects . . ."  
  
"And how do you think we feel?!" Admiral Constatine yelled. "We're just like you. If not, then worse."  
  
Nanai took a deep breath and sighed. She wanted to watch the battle. Watching a single Federation Mobile Suit for her moves her lips closer and closer to a long lost smile. "How're the new models coming along?"  
  
"Fine, just fine. This . . . this new one. The one we made based off of what we found at the destruction of Side 5 . . . it . . . it . . ."  
  
"Gives you the human feeling, doesn't it? As if someone is watching you."  
  
"Yeah . . . we plan to supply the three new models with it . . . along with the Jinn Dogas . . ."  
  
"Excellent, Admiral. All we need now are results."  
  
"Heh. Oh, and Major, you wanted to know how the recovery of that pilot we recovered . . . what's his name . . ."  
  
"Johnny Ridden?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Ridden . . ."  
  
"How'd he doing?"  
  
"Feel free to check him out. He's a whole lot better than a lot of our pilots."  
  
"He was a pretty famous was veteran during the one year war . . ."  
  
"They called him "Crimson Lightning" . . . every suit he had was a crimson red color and he was known for that unicorn symbol. It was rumored that he committed suicide after he heard the fate of Kycilia Zabi, but all this time . . . makes me wonder what a coma for 14 years can do to you . . ."  
  
"How's his condition?"  
  
"Mentally and physically, he's all there. He's primed."  
  
Nanai gave the man an odd look. "No, Admiral, I want the truth."  
  
Constatine saw that Nanai could see through each and every one of her lies. Something she probably picked up from listening to each and every one of Char Aznable's speeches.  
  
"He's somewhat mentally unstable. One of the nurses says he kind of a psycho, but other than that, he's ready . . ."  
  
"Excellent. Then he'd be perfect for EXAM."  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	3. Hostile

Before I start, it's come to my attention that not many people know what happened in the next part of Blue Destiny because the manga only covered the first two Blue Destiny video games. In the third one, the Feddies have made the Gundam BD-2 and Gundam BD-3, which can be used on ground or in space. The surviving Nimbus Schatzen and survivors of the California battle rally together and steal the BD-2. Nimbus repaints the shoulders so that the color scheme resembles his Efreet Custom. He escapes into space and Yuu and his men go after him. At Side 5, Yuu and Nimbus have a battle where both the BD-2 and BD-3 clash and are destroyed, with Yuu bailing out and barely surviving.  
  
In G Generation, it then explains Yuu went on and remained with the Federation throughout the Gryps Conflict and Second Neo Zeon conflict, and that he was recruited by Londo Bell and became a Jegan pilot. Now, onto the show . . .  
  
Two Men, One Force Chapter 3: Hostile  
  
The Ra Cailum along with three accompanying Clop class ships slowly descended upon the Von Braun section of the moon. There, they would be able to pick up their new load of Mobile Suits and supplies.  
  
We are taken back to the present. The cold fist knocks on Yuu's door once again. He opens the door to find that it's not Yazan, but Lieutenant Carl.  
  
"Sir, we're landing. Bright wants you to meet with him by 1300 hours, sir."  
  
"Alright. Just give me a second."  
  
Yuu shut the door and threw on his Londo Bell uniform jacket. He stepped out and floated down the corridor making his way to Bright, who was accompanied by Yazan.  
  
"I don't know how long this war will last," Bright said while opening the Londo Bell's exit door, "But if the last conflict is any indication, it'll be short . . . but definitely hostile."  
  
The group exited the Ra Cailum and entered the main area of Anaheim Electronics development center. There, October, the head of Londo Bell's projects, stood.  
  
"Colonel Bight. Captain Kajima. Captain Gable."  
  
"When can we start docking?" asked Bright, who looked as if he were in a hurry.  
  
"As soon as you're ready." October pulled out some papers and handed them to Bright. "Here."  
  
"What are these?"  
  
"Insurance papers."  
  
"I though the Federation handled this kind of stuff."  
  
"It's a new regulation for when prototypes like the Miracle Gundam go out. We got blamed for the whole psyco-frame phenomenon thing, so now, it's your fault for whatever happens."  
  
Bright immediately looked up and gave October a mean and disturbed look.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey . . . I just get these things built. I've got nothing to do with any of this."  
  
"Can we see the models?" Yuu interrupted.  
  
"Of course."  
  
October, Yuu, and Yazan entered the next area and saw two Mobile Suits standing next to each other. On the left was a humanoid Mobile Suit. Some of its movable-frame exoskeleton was visible as technicians slowly placed the armor onto the Mobile Suit. Currently, the color was a pale grey color.  
  
"The model's done, we just needed to take it apart again and put it back together."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We found that we could improve the maneuverability of the frame and increase the efficiency with the cockpit. We've made it so that the cockpit's controls and the suit's synchronization is enhanced."  
  
"Amazing . . ." said Yuu.  
  
"The Miracle Gundam itself is a piece of work. It's been tough making a suit like this that isn't a Newtype controlled suit like the Nu Gundam. Consider yourself lucky."  
  
"It's looking good. We're gonna' be able to take this out today, aren't we?"  
  
"It should be ready by the end of the day. By the way, any particular color scheme you want?"  
  
Yuu thought for a second, but the answer was obvious. "Blue. Dark blue."  
  
"That's the same color scheme as the Lionheart. Come over here, take a look at it, it's complete."  
  
The three enter the next section. There stood a dark blue and black colored Mobile Suit. It's shape was unorthadox. It was slightly larger than the normal Mobile Suit. It has a cone shaped head much like the Hambrabi Yazan used to pilot.  
  
"This was expensive, so be thankful. We usually don't make any transformable type Mobile Suits anymore, but this is an exception."  
  
"What do you think?" Yuu asked Yazan.  
  
There was a short silence.  
  
"Reminds me of the old days."  
  
There was a sudden violent shake. The lights quickly flashed on and off.  
  
"What the hell?!"  
  
An Anaheim technician runs in and topples over October pulls him to his feet. The technician coughs and staggers over to Yuu and Yazan.  
  
"Attack . . . Von Braun city . . . the . . . Rewloola . . ." The technician began to cough up blood.  
  
"The Rewloola? Neo Zeon!"  
  
October handed the technician over to two medics. "We're just in time . . . be careful with the Miracle, though, we're not exactly done with its plating."  
  
"Right," Yuu answered. Yazan merely shrugged off.  
  
Approximately 12 Geara Dogas were above Von Braun backed by the Rewloola and a class.  
  
"The Ra Cailum can't launch! The bay door is busted!"  
  
"What about the Ra Kiev and Ra Sierra?" Bright promptly asked.  
  
"The Ra Sierra's bay door can be opened. It can launch."  
  
Within minutes, the Ra Sierra launched with 8 Jegans.  
  
"It's not enough . . ." a Jegan pilot cried as the suit ripped apart by the enemy Geara Dogas. Von Braun's defense cannons were hardly enough to hit the enemy suits.  
  
"This is Yuu Kajima in the Miracle Gundam . . . ikimasu!"  
  
"Yazan Gable in the Lionheart . . . launching!"  
  
The two suits rocketed out of Von Braun on launching platforms. As soon as they were half a mile out, they abandoned the platforms and clashed with the Geara Dogas. The Miracle dashed to the right while defending with its shield. The Geara Dogas aimed and fired dozens of shots at the Miracle.  
  
"This thing is so fast it's scary . . ."  
  
Yuu locked on to the closest Geara Doga with its twin beam rifle and pulled the trigger. The two beams shot through the Geara Doga which was engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds. Two Geara Dogas closed in on Yuu with their beam sabers. Yuu swiftly parried the attacks of one of them and fired his vulcans. The enemy suits scattered. One returned and lashed out its melee weapon at the Miralce.  
  
The Miracle dodged. Its twin beam rifle ignited into a double beam saber and cut through the Geara Doga as if it were nothing. Yuu ignited a beam saber and attacked the enemy Geara Dogas with both weapons viciously. The attack of the Geara Dogas diminished slowly, their attack strength lowering with every kill.  
  
Yuu clashed his twin beam rifle saber against a Geara Doga's saber.  
  
"YUU!"  
  
"What was that?!"  
  
Suddenly, Yuu realized an enemy was closing in on him from behind. He strafed to the side and fought both Geara Doga's off.  
  
"A woman's voice?" Yuu asked himself. "Sounded familiar . . ."  
  
Meanwhile, the Lionheart delivered a similar to fate to its enemies. Yazan gunned down two Geara Dogas swiftly with his compact beam rifles. He turned two his right and saw one of the enemy Neo Zeon ships descending upon Von Braun. Yazan transformed the Lionheart into a large Mobile Armor and swooped down in front of the ship. It rose while firing beam rifles and back cannon, delivering countless blows to the upper section of the ship. The bridge of the Neo Zeon Musaka class ship ignited into a fireball. The Neo Zeon were soon well into their retreat.  
  
Yuu saw this and shut down his twin beam rifle's sabers. He looked and saw as the Lionheart and a few Jegans jetted past the exploding Musaka. Suddenly, he heard a loud, obnoxious, evil laugh. Yuu knew who it was. The sinister laugh died down, but it was still very loud in Yuu's mind . . .  
  
"Yuu, Yazan, nice work," Bright commented.  
  
"Thank you, sir." Yuu answered. Yazan kept silent  
  
"We're leaving in a few hours. The techs should be done fixing the bay doors by then. I expect everything you did here in every battle."  
  
"Yes, sir," Yuu answered.  
  
Bright left. Yazan was about to walk off, but Yuu pulled on his shoulder.  
  
"What'da you want?"  
  
"You . . . that ship . . .?"  
  
"What about it? I blew that pathetic thing out of the air."  
  
"That laugh . . ."  
  
"Yeah? What about it?"  
  
"Do you . . . do you enjoy killing people?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you enjoy killing people."  
  
"Well . . . it counts who it is."  
  
"So you enjoyed killing everyone on that ship?"  
  
"Maybe. I never thought about it before, but killing a hundred Zeons is kind of a turn on." Yazan laughed.  
  
Yuu was now totally frightened of the figure in front of him and his capabilities.  
  
"A lot of these spacenoids are a bunch of assholes. They deserve to die."  
  
"No . . . nobody deserves to die."  
  
"That's what you think. Why the hell are you in this war if you don't like killing?"  
  
"Just because I'm in a war doesn't mean I enjoy massacring people."  
  
"You're too soft, kid. These spacenoids should just crawl back in their holes like the mice they are. How long have you been with the Feddies, anyway?"  
  
"17 years."  
  
"I've got a hard time believing that. When did you first see action. One Year War?"  
  
"Yeah. I was a fighter pilot, then I started piloting GMs, and then they gave me a special Mobile Suit."  
  
"Special suit? GM Sniper? GM Command?"  
  
"No . . . Blue Destiny."  
  
"Blue Destiny? . . . You mean . . . you were the blue mobile suit at the California base?" Yazan was shocked. "You're the one that wiped the floor with those Zeeks?!" Yazan asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah, that was me."  
  
"And you took out a bunch of renegades at Side 5, right?"  
  
"Yep. Lost the first and third and destroyed the second Blue Destinies in the process, though."  
  
"Heh, you're full of surprises kid. I saw you fighting out there. You're good, but you're sloppy. I don't even know you're name."  
  
"Yuu. Yuu Kajima."  
  
Yuu didn't dare hold his hand out for a handshake because he knows Yazan wouldn't take it up.  
  
"Well, kid, if I've got any advice for you, is to kill because you know you have to. Stick these rats back into their holes. The Feddies are assholes. Do what you want and tell them to fuck themselves. Just ask them if they care."  
  
". . ."  
  
"If a bunch of Zeeks die, and the scream, who the hell is gonna' hear them and care?"  
  
Yazan walks away. Yuu is left alone. Lieutenant Carl approaches him.  
  
"Good job, Captain Kajima!"  
  
"Umm . . . thanks. Hey, Lieutenant."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Have you ever enjoyed killing somebody?'  
  
"No one's ever asked me that before."  
  
"It's just . . . it's just hard for me to understand some people. I don't know how you can just go into anything devoid of your conscious."  
  
"You're talking about the Titan, aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How did he answer?"  
  
"He said he enjoyed killing spacenoids."  
  
"Well, I can't say I enjoy killing anybody, but doing something without a conscience is what this line of work is all about."  
  
"Right . . ."  
  
Yuu staggers away towards his room. "Am I too soft for war? I've survived over 15 years fighting . . . have I just gotten lucky all this time?"  
  
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Side 3, the Black Dream fleet sits outside of a sympathetic colony.  
  
"Ms. Nanai? What's with the new look?"  
  
Nanai looked very different from usual. Her hair was cut short and dyed completely red.  
  
"We will have our revenge," Nanai spat at Admiral Constatine, "Even if it means we have to completely manipulate everyone in the process."  
  
The Admiral now understood. He laughed loudly.  
  
"Excellent work, Ms. Nanai . . . or should I say Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi?" He laughed again. "I commend your ingeniousness."  
  
"No need for that, Admiral. He's psycho, if I present myself as Kycilia, he'll believe it."  
  
"Shall we go see him?"  
  
"No, I want to see my beauties first."  
  
"Ah, let us go then."  
  
They made their way down the hall and entered a completely white room. There were about life-size 20 tubes, each of them containing the same naked man. The identity of this man is concealed by the heavy blue color of the sustaining liquid in each tube.  
  
"I've got another 10 being grown on your other ship." Nanai placed her hand against one of the tubes. "He's kind of handsome if you take a close look at him."  
  
"Heh. Are these going to be the pilots for the Jinn Dogas?  
  
"You bet. I can't wait to see them go into battle. None of this wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for all that gold Char had left behind at Sweetwater."  
  
"Where did you get the cloning technology from?"  
  
"When we first got Axis, we had a quick look through it for anything of value. The Feddies left a lot of stuff behind and were too lazy to clean it up. We found some of the cloning equipment as well as advanced growth formulas from the Humanity Conflict." Nanai picked up a glass test tube containing a portion of the advanced growth formula. "This stuff has to be injected into your system slowly . . . if it flows in too fast, well, then . . . the consequences aren't exactly pretty . . ."  
  
There's a short silence.  
  
"I suppose you want to revive the nation of Zeon."  
  
"Fuck Zeon", she quickly threw back at him. "Screw them, their ideals, and their leaders. Char left me for some dead 14 year old Indian girl. I want revenge. Revenge for the people who blindly fought for Mr. Char Aznable."  
  
"Ms. Nanai, I would never see you stoop so low."  
  
"Shut up. You shouldn't be talking. You've been on the revenge warpath for years. I've seen the newspaper reports. All of those senators that have been assassinated one by one. Their families suddenly disappearing. All of that purging. It was you, wasn't it?"  
  
"Well, there wouldn't be anyone else to point at, would there be, Ms. Nanai? Then again, the fingers have always been pointed at us."  
  
"Or at Admiral Kintaro . . . you're former leader. I've never heard the whole story."  
  
"Yes. I wasn't much back then. When the One Year War finished, we were blamed for negotiating with the Zeons and the Zabis while our entire force was held captive under an unofficial neutrality treaty. That wasn't true. None of that bullshit was true!"  
  
"Everyone only believed it was true because they needed somebody to point their finger at for something, right?"  
  
"Exactly. There were some gassings that took place in various colonies at Side 3 with Feddie equipment. Men, women, children . . . all died. We actually went in and helped clean up the mess. The truth was, the Zabis did it and blamed it on Feddies that infiltrated Side 3 in order to increase nationalism for the Zeon Duchy. After the war, someone needed to be blamed, so they blamed us - mere wartime captives."  
  
"And Kintaro was court marshaled?"  
  
"Yes. He died in prison. We secretly purged various people . . . political, economic, and military leaders of the Federation after he was put in jail. We did this, hoping that at some point, people would start to think . . . start to believe that we were innocent. And you know, there were some people that started to believe. Then the Gryps Conflict came . . ."  
  
A soldier entered the room. The Admiral looked up and found his son, Major Lawrence. Lawrence was out of breath and had a look of shock in his eyes,  
  
"Larry? What's wrong?"  
  
"The small Neo Zeon fleet that we sent to luna. They were practically wiped out."  
  
"What? How did it happen?"  
  
"Londo Bell, sir. They were docking at Von Braun."  
  
"You can't be serious."  
  
"The Rewloola!" Nanai swiftly shouted. "What about the Rewloola?!"  
  
"It's the only surviving ship. We can't seem to make contact with them . . ."  
  
"Then how do you know it survived?!"  
  
"Our spy aboard the Ra Cailum. He said the Rewloola and a few Geara Dogas got away, but there were two Mobile Suits completely dominating our men. It heard it was like a nightmare out there."  
  
There was a short silence. Admiral raised his head and stared at his son. "When will the Nuremburg and the Regalus be prepared by?"  
  
"The Regalus is ready for testing. I've already had my men load that EXAM system onto it."  
  
The Admiral turned his head to Nania. "When will Ridden be ready? And the clones?"  
  
"The clones are ready. I can have them test piloting and ready to bombard Londo Bell's forces as soon as possible. As for Mr. Ridden . . . I'll check on him . . ."  
  
"You do that. As soon as he's ready, I have an assignment for him . . ."  
  
Deep in the past, we're taken to a moment of truth. A single moment where a struggle that is part of a much larger struggle will be decided.  
  
"YUU!"  
  
"NIMBUS!"  
  
Yuu's Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 03 and Nimbus Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 02's beam sabers clashed. The exchanged blows back and forth, with a victor not in sight.  
  
"Yuu!" a female voice screamed. "Yuu!'  
  
Yuu parried Nimbus next attack and slashed off the BD-2's left arm.  
  
"You son of a bitch . . .," Yuu glared down at the BD-2 with a look of satisfaction. "I'll enjoy watching you die!"  
  
"Argh . . . if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!"  
  
The BD-2 rushed at the BD-3 and grappled it. Yuu drove his beam saber into his rival's suit while his rival from close range launched his Vulcan guns into the engine area of the BD-2. Yuu swiftly rammed his hand against the eject button, and the back of the BD-2 dropped out and launched him out of the cockpit. He drifted away and grabbed onto a piece of what seemed to be debris from a destroyed colony. The two Blue Destiny Gundams erupted into an explosion . . .  
  
"Yuu." the female voice screamed again.  
  
"Yuu!"  
  
"Yuu!"  
  
"YUU!"  
  
Yuu woke up as he heard a loud knocking on his door. He rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. The knocking continued.  
  
"Go away!"  
  
The knocking didn't cease.  
  
"Ugh . . . hold on, I'm coming . . ."  
  
Yuu rolled and ended up rolling off his bed and hitting the ground. He dragged himself to his feet as the knocking had continued. He hit the switch on the door sliding it open.  
  
"You're as sloppy as ever, Captain Kajima."  
  
"Phillip!"  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
Well, the end of another chapter, hope you all liked it. BTW, I have a website dedicated to my other fanfic among other Gundam parodies called "The G-Pub". The address is . 


	4. Strike of the Crimson Lightning

Two Men, Once Force Chapter 4: Strike of the Crimson Lightning  
  
"Johnny Ridden? Is it . . . is it really you?"  
  
"Rear Admiral Kycilia?"  
  
Nanai Miguel stood in front of Johnny Ridden posing as Kycilia Zabi. In the back of the room was Admiral, who could hardly conceal his smile from watching the two.  
  
"Admiral Kycilia! I can't believe it's really you!"  
  
"Oh Major . . ."  
  
The two embraced. Kycilia had a devilish smile gleaming across her face.  
  
"Ms. Kycilia . . . I . . . what's happened?"  
  
"It's a long story, Major Ridden. A long story."  
  
"I heard . . . we lost. And Gihren died . . ."  
  
"Yes, yes, but that's all in the past now . . ."  
  
"I . . . I-I-I-I-I don't know anymore . . . who am I?"  
  
"Why, you're Johnny Ridden of course. The Crimson Lightning of the One Year War. My most trusted pilot along with Char Aznable."  
  
"Captain Char! What's become of him?"  
  
"Dead. He was a traitor."  
  
"He betrayed us? Why?"  
  
"He was destined to kill all the Zabis. He would've gotten me . . . but you're efforts at A Baoa Que kept me alive. I lived to see you again. And together, we'll revive the Zeon Duchy."  
  
"What's become of Side 3?"  
  
"Traitors. All traitors."  
  
"Traitors?"  
  
"Right after the Principality of Zeon fell, they succumbed to democracy just so they wouldn't be harmed. They've forgotten the ideals of the old Zeon and have replaced them with a false one. Will you help me?"  
  
"I . . . I'll try . . . but sometimes I lose control . . . I-I lose control of myself and . . . can't control myself."  
  
"But you're the heart of what's left of Zeon. I need you, Major Ridden."  
  
"Yes, yes. Anything for Zeon."  
  
In the hanger of the Black Dream's flagship, Johnny Ridden is sitting in a Mobile Suit known as the Regalus. It has a humanoid shape, however, it has a dome shaped head, large dome-shaped legs surrounded by thrusters, The shoulders stood out as they were very large and spike-shaped. The body was fairly large, with a shape very similar to that of a standard Gundam suit. The color of the suit is a mix of Crimson red and dark blue.  
  
The Admiral stretched his arms and stared at Kycilia. "He's a psycho. Stupid enough believe anything he's told, not to mention he can lose control of himself."  
  
"All the better."  
  
"But why? There are normal humans that have died trying to control this suit? What makes you think someone with psychological issues can do it."  
  
"Two reasons. Number one, he's destined. He's loyal. He's a veteran. A machine as unstable as EXAM and a person as unstable as Major Ridden are compatible. The crazier one gets, the crazier the other gets. And when this happens, we'll have the total annihilation of fleets. The Regalus will be invincible! More than enough for Londo Bell to handle."  
  
"If we do decimate Londo Bell, we'll have to deal with the entire Earth Federal Forces fleet. They're going to be a giant obstacle. The harder we push against it, the bigger the obstacle becomes."  
  
Nanai stares at the bay door. The Regalus is in the corner of her eye. "Well, we'll just have to see what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object . . ."  
  
"And . . .?" the Admiral asked.  
  
"And what?"  
  
"The second reason you think this psycho should be able to handle EXAM?"  
  
"My second reason is much simpler - he can't."  
  
"What? What do you mean?'  
  
"I expect him to go psycho and have EXAM engulf his mind. At that point, the Regalus and Johnny Ridden become one."  
  
"A single force meant to destroy everything in its path. I still don't trust it. What if he tries to attack us?"  
  
"He won't."  
  
"How can you be sure?"  
  
"Because Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi is making sure of it."  
  
"I'm ready," Ridden stated.  
  
Admiral gets onto the speaker. "Listen closely, currently, the Republic of Zeon's left wing and right wing members have been having constant disputes. That colony over there is Zoom Colony, the capital of Side 3. You're ordered to wreck the colony by any means necessary."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Johnny pulled back on the controls.  
  
"This is Johnny Ridden . . . launching!"  
  
The Regalus took off accompanied by 6 Geara Dogas. Nanai notices how close they are to the Regalus.  
  
"Don't stay too close to the Regalus, just cover its rear."  
  
The Geara Dogas complied and fell back. The Regalus thrusted forward and neared the colony.  
  
"For the glory of the spacenoids, for the honor of the Zabi family, Side 3, I have returned! Sieg Zeon!"  
  
The Regalus held its waist launchers and fired four large warheads, all crashing into the side of the colony. An inferno erupted on the side.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha . . . HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!!!"  
  
The laugh echoed throughout the radio. Nanai shrugged as she heard this. The Regalus swooped down and put its Mega Beam Rifle into Beam Machine Gun mode and released a barrage of beams into the side of the colony. Explosions ripped through the side.  
  
"For the glory of the Zabi family! I will kill you all! Kill you all!"  
  
Suddenly, about a dozen Mobile Suits launched from the colony.  
  
"You . . ." said a female voice.  
  
"What? Who's there?"  
  
"You are . . ."  
  
"W-What's that?!"  
  
"YOU!"  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!"  
  
The Regalus jetted out of the way of the GM III's attacks. He fired his chest gattling gun and nailed direct shots into the GMs. Not one bullet missed. Ridden stored his beam rifle and ignited his beam saber. He rushed at the suits and dodged every single beam and missile thrown at him.  
  
"DIE! DIE! DIE!"  
  
The GMs fire a frenzy of attacks in every possible direction. The Regalus blurs by them. Every time a pilot blinked, the Regalus would be out of sight. The pilots stopped firing, and the enemy suit was gone. In a quick flash, one of the GMs was cut in half. The Regalus swept by and fired its overhead cannons and beam rifle. The GMs didn't stand a chance.  
  
"SIEG ZEON! ARGH!"  
  
The Regalus aimed its beam rifle in beam machine gun mode and its overhead cannons at the colony's window and blew a hole in the colony. It then launched a barrage off attacks into the colony. The explosions soon reached the energy storage building of the colony, turning a chunk of it into a giant fireball . . .  
  
On the Ra Cailum, Yuu and Philip were talking in the lounge.  
  
"Remember that time Blue attacked us for the first time?"  
  
"God, I was scared out of my pants," Philip answered.  
  
"You played it off pretty god damn well, too."  
  
"I guess I did . . ."  
  
"You're a lot less of an asshole than you were back then."  
  
"Yep. But . . . you know why . . ."  
  
"The Titans . . ." Yuu said, as the enthusiasm in his voice faded.  
  
". . . And Samana."  
  
"The last time I saw him, I was screaming at him for spilling some soft drink onto the foot my Barzam at Killimanjaro. Then I left my post and forced him to take over for me. And then they took him down . . . the AEUG . . ."  
  
"Then we found out what the Titans were really up to."  
  
"I always wondered why you refused to join the Titans . . . now I wish I were in your shows. The whole reason Samana joined the Titans was because I said he'd be too much of a wuss to try and join the elite group. He knew something was up and kept saying it, but I kept kicking him around. We got in, but now look where that got us. Look where it got him. I remember that beam ripping through his Hi-zack. It was meant for me . . . that was my post . . ."  
  
The Gryps Conflict - The battle between the cruel Federation branch known as the Titans and the spacenoid freedom fighters, the AEUG. Physically, it wasn't as destructive as the One Year War, but mentally, it was a war among wars. Its outcome left a scar on everyone, no matter who you were and what side you were on.  
  
Philip looked away from Yuu and rested his head on his hand. "Every time . . . every time since his funeral . . . I've never been able to look Maureen in the eyes . . . her or their children . . ."  
  
"Philip . . ."  
  
"Hell, all of it's my fault. They almost didn't get together after I started telling everybody that the operator girl aboard the Medea was pregnant was his kid. It was kinda funny at the time. She took it to seriously . . ."  
  
"Yeah . . . how is she?"  
  
"I don't know. I haven't seen her in such a long time. How's Amy?"  
  
"Fine, fine. I haven't seen her for the past 5 months. Looks like she's put on a little weight since the last time I saw her, though."  
  
Philip snickered. He laid back in his seat and looked at the roof and sighed.  
  
"What are you piloting?"  
  
"What do you mean what am I piloting? Like they'd throw me in something other than a Jegan. What did they throw you in?"  
  
"I've got a Gundam. The Miracle Gundam."  
  
"Lucky you," he said sarcastically. "I heard about this partner of yours. A former member of the Titans, also."  
  
"None of the guys here like it, I suggest you watch your back, too."  
  
"I deserve it . . ."  
  
"Hey, don't put yourself down. Samana's death isn't all your fault."  
  
"Well, most of it is."  
  
In the room came in Ensign Jill Kerrigan, a young Jegan pilot. Her hair was a bright pink color and her eye color was a blue, very striking, like Maureen's. She had a light skin shade and a gorgeous figure. She had an obvious British accent.  
  
"Sir."  
  
"Ensign Kerrigan."  
  
She saluted Yuu, and Yuu stood up and saluted back.  
  
"Sir, the Side 3 colony of Zoom was completely destroyed. Zoom was our destination as well . . ."  
  
"Destroyed? By what? Was it the Black Dream or Neo Zeon?"  
  
"We received word that a single Mobile Suit was out there doing a majority of the damage, sir."  
  
"One Mobile Suit destroyed an entire colony? No way. What kind of Mobile Suit was it?"  
  
"We don't know, sir. The nearest colony began scanning the area during the scuffle, but by that time, the colony was already wrecked."  
  
Ensign Kerrigan's eyes floated off slightly and spotted Philip. Philip merely blinked twice.  
  
"So, what's our new destination?" Yuu said, continuing their conversation.  
  
"Well, sir, in light of the recent attacks, the set of GMs that took part in the battle managed to get a small tracking device onto the enemy Mobile Suit. The Side 3 Colony of 37 Bunch is relaying us the signal. Captain Noa wants us all on alert and ready for combat as soon as we enter Side 3 space."  
  
"Alright. Thank you, Engisn Kerrigan."  
  
Jill's eyes slowly drifted off towards Philip, but soon found their way back to Yuu. "Yes, sir." She left.  
  
Yuu took a seat and shifted his head over to Philip. "Looks like we're seeing some more action."  
  
"I guess we are."  
  
"But did you hear that?"  
  
"Here what?"  
  
"Weren't you listening?"  
  
"Umm . . . to most of it. It's been a pain for me to pay attention to anything lately ever since I got assigned to Londo Bell . . ."  
  
"A single Mobile Suit destroyed a bunch of GMs and destroyed an entire colony. There's a whole lot more to this conflict then I thought there would be . . ."  
  
On the bridge of the Ra Cailum, Jill Kerrigan approached Bright Noa.  
  
"Sir, I've delivered the news to Captain Kajima."  
  
"Good work, Ensign. How were things at Side 3 before you left?"  
  
"Always a bloody mess, sir. By the way, the Federation couldn't find a way to get this letter to you, so they sent it to us knowing you're destination would be Side 3."  
  
She hands him a large brown envelope. Bright rips it open and reads it. His face has a strained look.  
  
"Bad news, sir?"  
  
"It's from my doctor. Umm . . . you're dismissed, Ensign."  
  
"Hope it's nothing bad, sir."  
  
She leaves the room. Bright slaps the envelope down onto his desk and sighs.  
  
Hours pass. At Side 3, the schedule is rain, and sprinklers from the top of the colonies release water in a way much rain falls, indistinguishable from a real rain storm that occurs on Earth. Floating near Side 3 are the Black Dream's ships. In the flagship, the ---, Nanai, Admiral Constatine, and her men examine Johnny Ridden from a window opposite the room he is in. Doctors are examining him.  
  
"He was in the cockpit just like that?"  
  
"Just like that," Nanai answered.  
  
Johnny was sitting in his chair still, babbling random things over and over.  
  
"Told it was dangerous to stick him in that cockpit."  
  
"Everything's working out just like I planned. Mr. Ridden will be just fine. He's done his job quite nicely. Did you watch when he destroyed that colony? I thought it was an elegant display."  
  
"You have a sick taste for war."  
  
"Not for war, Constatine, just for the burning traitors."  
  
"Really? Then you shouldn't be around us, now should you."  
  
"I know you're not traitors, Captain. You're just a bunch of disgruntled POWs that got blamed for everything."  
  
"If only the Federation could here that and believe it."  
  
"By the way, Admiral, I found something I think you should be informed of."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I found something on the leg of the Regalus. It was camouflaged to look like nothing was there, much like this ship's stealth ability. It's a homing device. They're onto us."  
  
"What? Did you remove it?"  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"Why didn't you!"  
  
"It's the perfect opportunity to test one of the two Nuremburg Mobile Suits."  
  
"Ah . . ."  
  
"Is your son ready?"  
  
"Always. I'll have him ready to move out along with some of the Geara Dogas."  
  
"A battle would be the perfect decoy for me to go meet my candidate to pilot the other Nurember at Side 3's 37 Bunch. I'm going to go get ready."  
  
"Before you leave, Ms. Nanai, this candidate of yours . . . are you sure he'll join our cause?"  
  
"Oh, he will. As you know, he's related to your former leader Admiral Kintaro. I'm sure he'll join us. He's another disgruntled one."  
  
"Good luck, Ms. Nanai."  
  
"Good luck to you and your men as well."  
  
Aboard the Ra Cailum, the Mobile Suit deck was buy with people everywhere. Yuu leaped up from the ground using the zero gravity and stood on the platform leading to his cockpit. To his right was the Lionheart. Yazan was nowhere to be found, though. And the far left side of the room was Philip, boarding his Jegan, but at the same time, he eyed Jill Kerrigan, who was doing the same. Yuu smiled and boarded the Miracle Gundam. He closed the cockpit and got onto the launch pad.  
  
"Ready to, Captain Kajima?"  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be."  
  
"You're cleared to launch, sir."  
  
"Yuu Kajima in the Miracle Gundam . . . ikimasu!"  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	5. Rise of the Grim Reaper

Just to let you all know, I've got a Gundam website where I host my Gundam comedy fanfics as well as other fanfics, . Also, I'll have a forum/message board up very soon for all your Gundam discussion needs as well as other stuff.  
  
Two Men, One Force Chapter 5: Rise of the Grim Reaper  
  
The Miracle Gundam launched followed by a bunch of Jegans.  
  
"Where the hell can Yazan be?"  
  
Out of nowhere, beam gun fire erupts. But, it's as if it's coming out of space.  
  
"What the hell?!"  
  
"There's a ship there, alright, but we can hardly see it!" Philip screamed.  
  
Jill maneuvered her Jegan to the right and avoided the wave of fire. "Could be some sort of stealth mechanism . . ."  
  
Soon, a horde of Mobile Suits arrive. This small group coming out of nowhere consist of black Geara Dogas and one of the two Nuremburg suits.  
  
Yuu dived in, followed by the other suits. He immediately rips through a suit with his twin beam rifle. Suddenly, the Nuremburg fires its two automatic shotguns. Yuu swerved to the right.  
  
"What the hell is that? Was that the suit that destroyed the colony?"  
  
The Nuremberg thrusts back and launches an onslaught with its shotguns. Lawrence eyes the Miracle and fires a barrage of shots.  
  
"Heh, I didn't expect Londo Bell to get a new model so fast . . ."  
  
"He doesn't have a bad shot." Yuu notices a blue Mobile Suit fly out of the Ra Cailum. It's the Lionheart. "Finally . . ."  
  
The Nuremburg drives a shotgun into a nearby Jegan and fires a hole through the cockpit. Lawrence turns his attention back to the Miracle and reloads its guns.  
  
"Die, Feddie bastard!"  
  
The Miracle dodges Lawrence's shots. Yuu follows the Nuremburg's motions and pulls the trigger and shoots off the left hand of the Nuremburg. Lawrence ditches his shotgun and ignites his beam saber. Yuu does the same and they clash.  
  
Jill Kerrigan's Jegan exchanges fire with a Geara Doga. A wave of beam fire spews from her rifle as she attempts to dodge the incoming attacks. A second Geara Doga drives at her with its saber. Jill is barely able to jam her controls forward away from the attack. She draws to the right to avoid the other Geara Doga's fire and drives at it with her beam saber and slices off its arm. The second Geara Doga rises with its saber in a set position in its hand. A beam not too far away hits the Geara Doga and destroys is. Jill backs her Jegan away from her other opponent and a similar shot accompanied by other strike down on the Geara Doga.  
  
Jill looks up to see another Jegan. In it, Philip sits, reloading the e-pac on his beam rifle. "You all right?"  
  
"Yes. I'm just fine."  
  
"Be careful out there."  
  
He takes off, and she soon follows as they surround the Ra Cailum which is taking fire from what seems to be out of nowhere.  
  
"Can we get a lock onto the ship?" Bright asked.  
  
"We can try. It seems to have some sort of anti-light mechanism or something . . . I was reading about it, we'd need to get in pretty close with a flare or something like that in order to see it . . ."  
  
"Who's free out there?"  
  
"Yazan and the Lionheart just launched, sir."  
  
"Have him try to get in as close as possible and launch a flare."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Yuu lifted his saber above his head and struck down onto the defending Nuremberg.  
  
"This blue one doesn't stand a chance . . ."  
  
Lawrence pulls his saber back and drives forward with it. Yuu pulls to the right to avoid it and swings his saber again. The Nuremberg glides its saber along Yuu's to defend and then swings it at the Miracle's chest. Yuu easily defends and the two suits press against each other with their sabers. Lawrence opens fire with his chest vulcans and Yuu raises his altitude to avoid them. The Nuremberg drives back and releases two pods from his back, each of them releasing a handful of missiles.  
  
Yuu shouts as he attempts to avoid the onslaught. The missiles' explosions barely graze the Miralce and singe its armor. For a short moment, the Miracle and Nuremburg stand a moderate distance from each other. They stare at each other while wielding their sabers, showing a display of honor and the will to destroy. Yuu takes multiple deep breaths as Lawrence laughs.  
  
The Lionheart in Mobile Armor mode skims across space while avoiding both friendly and enemy fire.  
  
"Heh. Not your average spacenoids."  
  
Yazan barrel rolls in the Lionheart past the enemy line of fire and finds the ship masked among the darkness of space. He launches a flare, lighting up outer space and giving away the location of the Black Dream's Titanic.  
  
The Black Dream's flagship shook violently as it began to take fire. It moved back seeing how its exact location was exploited.  
  
The Miracle Gundam was the first to move, sliding into an attack as if it were on solid ground. The Nuremberg advanced and swung as the Miracle did the same. Both sabers slashed at the opposing Mobile Suit. As the Miracle and Nuremburg glided away from each other, the leg of the Miracle slid off, but the Nuremburg was cut in half. Lawrence was thrown back in shock as shards of glass and fire surrounded him.  
  
"That pilot . . . he's . . . he's . . ."  
  
Yuu turned back at his defeated opponent and held up his shield as it turned into a fiery ball of death. Yuu put away his beam saber and saw the enemy Geara Dogas retreat.  
  
A small cruiser has just gained entry into a colony and prepares to land. Inside, Nanai Miguel and her attendants land.  
  
"We'll be out of here in no time at all. I just have to pick up our pilot for the second Nuremburg and we're out."  
  
A small screen on the cruises beeped. Nanai switched it on and stared at Admiral Constatine.  
  
"Major Miguel . . ."  
  
"I won't be long Admiral."  
  
"We . . . we lost my son . . ."  
  
"The Nuremburg? Dammit! That thing cost us money!"  
  
"I just lost my son, God dammit and all you can think about it your money?!"  
  
"A price to pay to gain what you want. I think you had even told me that before when you first took in out crew, Admiral."  
  
The Admiral was silent. He looked away as a tear formed in his eye.  
  
"Don't assign anyone to the second Nuremburg because I already have a pilot in mind. He's a Feddy . . . well, a soon to be former Feddie . . ."  
  
"What makes you so sure he'd join our ranks?" the Admiral asked.  
  
"Like I said before, he was related to Admiral Kintaro. You've probably seen him once or twice. I did my homework and found out about him. From what I've heard, he'd be the perfect poor sap for us to use. He's already agreed to it, we just need for him to come join us, now."  
  
"Alright . . . but be careful, who knows what Londo Bell is doing in Side 3 space . . ."  
  
"Obviously, Admiral, do you use your head? We have become their main priority. And because of that, it's our priority to match them with our prowess."  
  
The Admiral merely signed out as he turned the screen off before he started crying. Nanai's cruiser has landed. She unboards and heads into the city. She slips on a pair of sunglasses and walks among the houses as if she were a citizen. She was here to add another name to her list of allies. Nanai took a small train to an apartment at the end of town where off-duty soldiers were allowed to stay for free.  
  
"Hello?" Nanai said as she opened the door to the room of her destination.  
  
There was no answer, but there were three heavy bags waiting in the main hall. Out comes a man with blue hair and a slightly dark skin shade.  
  
"Mr. Terry Sanders."  
  
"Nanai Miguel."  
  
"Are you ready?"  
  
He kept silent. He walked across to the couch and sat down.  
  
"Don't tell me you're second guessing yourself. You were so sure this was the best thing to do the last time I was here."  
  
"I'm not second guessing. I'm just wondering. What is the point of this operation? Merely revenge?"  
  
"Justice. Justice, Mr. Sanders. There was no justification behind what the Federation did to you and your family."  
  
"I know that. But . . . what makes you think such a small force can take on the entire Earth Federation?"  
  
"Because our cause is a righteous one."  
  
"Heh. The Zeon Zabis said the same thing, and look where they are now."  
  
"I won't lie to you Mr. Sanders, we need you. I've talked with people that were stationed in the same places you were during the One Year War. You're the reaper, Mr. Sanders. But as much as we need you, you need us . . ."  
  
"Or else? Are you going to threaten me?"  
  
"There's no reason to get hostile. Just look at yourself. You're nothing but a slave to the same Earth Federation that has ruined your life."  
  
". . ."  
  
"And it all started back in Southern Asia, didn't it? Back during the One Year War . . . your story is an epic one Mr. Sanders, I'd like to record it for the morale for our men."  
  
Nanai pulls out a tape recorder and presses on the record button. Sanders shuts his eyes and starts talking.  
  
"Back during the One Year War, they called me the reaper . . . they called me that because I wiped the floor with the Zeeks . . . but it was always at the cost of my platoon. Everyone in every force I was in had the same fate - they all burned in hell, and only I survived. I wanted to follow them, but that never happened . . ."  
  
Nanai pushed the recorder towards Sanders. He began to speak straight into it.  
  
"Then, they assigned me to Southern Asia . . . we were the 08th MS Team, and let me tell you, I never told them, but that was one of the most fucked up parts of my life . . . maybe it's because that was just the beginning. Our leader . . . I'll never forget his name . . . Ensign Shiro Amada . . . he made a pretty stupid mistake, and we were sent into the depths of Asia to find the Zeeks' secret base . . . they told us straight up that the chances of survival were 38 percent . . . 38 fucking percent!"  
  
He stopped for a moment.  
  
"Please, Mr. Sanders, continue."  
  
"We barely survived that shit. After, I was transferred to Australia and served the Feddies there. After the war ended, I never saw any of the members of the 08th team again. Around U 0088, my life took a turn . . ."  
  
"One for the worse."  
  
"No shit."  
  
"And whose fault was this?"  
  
". . . The Earth Federation."  
  
"Continue."  
  
"During the Gryps Conflict, I was stationed at Jaburo. God help me when I found out that there was a nuclear charge planted in there ready to take us all out along with the AEUG. We almost didn't make it out of that one. Then at Kilimanjaro . . . I had the highest kill count from my platoon . . . hardly any of my platoon survived though, some of them were hit by friendly fire from this huge black suit they called the Psyco Gundam or something. Anyway, at the end of the Gryps War, the Federation had lost a lot of supplies and money. They were in a deficit and it was obvious. I decided it was time to retire. I go to collect the large sum of money that was waiting for me, but the records of my efforts weren't there. It was recorded that I was a new recruit that only recently joined the Federation. There was no money waiting for me."  
  
"Accident . . . or something more, Mr. Sanders?"  
  
"It wasn't an accident. No way in hell it was an accident. I worked too hard to see everything disappear in an accident. The Feddies did it. I know they did. I spent years with them only to see the money I deserved go away. Up until now, I've only stayed with them because if I retired I'd be homeless on the streets begging for my food. I can't go home because I'd be turned away. Nobody wants me around."  
  
"Nobody, Mr. Sanders?"  
  
"Heh, this is the part where you convince me to come with you, right?"  
  
"Let's talk about your cousin, Mr. Sanders."  
  
"My cousin . . . Gerald . . ."  
  
"Admiral Gerald Kintaro."  
  
"The Feddies called him a traitor for working with the Zabis. But that wasn't the truth. The Feddies knew it wasn't the truth. They court marshaled him just so they could blame massacring a bunch of Zeeks with gas on him and his group. Christ, wasn't the point of the war to kill those fucking Zeeks in the first place?"  
  
"And now he's dead."  
  
"He didn't even get a proper funeral. Death by lethal injection."  
  
"Amazing story, Mr. Sanders."  
  
"You could put it that way. But I'd replace the word "amazing" with "fucked up". I'll never forget Gerald's last words, though. He came down that hall and asked to say something to me and he spoke into my ear . . . "Justice always needs a loser." If that's justice . . . then justice isn't much more than a social device to control society."  
  
"Then we should show them the true meaning of justice, now shouldn't we, Mr. Sanders?"  
  
"I guess we should. Where's our ship?"  
  
Nanai smiled and shut off the tape recorder.  
  
"Welcome to the Black Dream, Mr. Sanders."  
  
The Ra Cailum attempted to make contact with a Side 3 colony and the Earth Federation, but thing's weren't working out so well.  
  
Lieutenant Carl picked up a report from one of the techs and spoke across the room to Bright. "The communication devices were fried during the battle, Captain Bright. It's going to take some time before we can fix them."  
  
Bright sat in his seat twiddling his thumbs. It didn't look like he was paying attention. He didn't blink. He merely looked out with a leering stare.  
  
"Captain Bright?"  
  
Bright Noa continued to look out into space. The look on his face was disturbing. The Londo Bell officer floated over to him and shook him hard. After a few seconds, he came to life.  
  
"Huh? What?!"  
  
"Captain Bright, are you alright?"  
  
"Huh? Umm . . . I'm fine. Just fine. What's the problem?"  
  
"The communication devices were jammed during the battle. We need some time to fix them."  
  
"How much time?"  
  
"A few hours at most."  
  
"Is there any way to make contact with the colonies?"  
  
"Not from here, sir. We're going to have to send someone in."  
  
"Okay, give me a second and we'll send a few men into the colony."  
  
In the lounge area, Yuu and Philip stood next to a vending machine. Philip pressed on a button and the machine wouldn't dispense anything.  
  
"Damn machine!"  
  
He kicks it.  
  
"Watch it, there."  
  
"This thing is so stupid . . ."  
  
He kicks it again and ends up hurting himself.  
  
"Ow! Damn!"  
  
The drink finally comes rolling out. Jill Kerrigan walks over next to Philip.  
  
"I'll be back," said Yuu, walking away at a steady pace. "Some conversation with other pilots should be good for him."  
  
"Umm . . . Ensign Philip Hughes?"  
  
"Huh? Oh . . . umm, yes?"  
  
"I just wanted to thank you . . ."  
  
"Thank me? For what?"  
  
"For saving me out there. I would've been done if it weren't for you. That was your Jegan, correct?"  
  
"Oh you mean that? No sweat. It's never a problem."  
  
There's a short silence.  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"No . . . umm . . . not really, sorry. I just wanted to thank you." She starts to giggle a bit. "Sorry, I've never actually been much of a conservationist. I'm Ensign Jill Kerrigan."  
  
"And you already know who I am."  
  
"A little cocky now are we?"  
  
"Is that the impression I'm giving?"  
  
"It doesn't matter unless it's the impression you want to give."  
  
He smiles, she does the same. From afar, Yuu looks on.  
  
"I knew it would take his mind off of everything else."  
  
"These enemies aren't idiots."  
  
Yuu turned around to see the towering Yazan in front of him.  
  
"Yazan, what took you so long to get out there?"  
  
"Had to take care of some business."  
  
"What were you saying?"  
  
"These guys, they're not your average enemies. Don't matter if they're Zeeks or a bunch of refuges, they can be pretty bad . . ."  
  
"I see you've been evaluating our enemies."  
  
"I've got this feeling, kid. Haven't felt it since the Gryps Conflict. I've got this feeling . . . haven't felt it since then since I fought a powerhouse suit that could wreck a ton of colonies if it had the chance."  
  
Yuu merely looked at Yazan. This was the first time he was open about something he was thinking.  
  
"I was hoping I'd be getting out of this one easy," Yazan continued. "Looks like I won't be seeing my payment for a long time."  
  
"Is that all you care about? The money? We're fighting a war here."  
  
"Bring as humble and truthful as I am . . ." Yazan said sarcastically, "Yes, the money is all I care about. It's how I live my life. Fighting for the Feds isn't my priority."  
  
Yuu sighs. "Fighting for the Feds isn't something I'm talking about. I mean . . . for something higher . . . for something . . . gwah, how do I put it . . . sentimental."  
  
"Nope. Got nothing."  
  
"You're hopeless."  
  
"I could say the same thing about you, kid."  
  
Lieutenant Carl drifts into the room. "I've got a message from the captain. Our communications were damaged so he wants to send a small ship into Side 3's 37 Bunch. He asks for Captain Yazan Gable and Ensign Philip Hughes to report to the Mobile Suit deck prepared to take off and enter the colony.  
  
Yazan shifted his weight forward and slugged past the short Lieutenant. Philip got up from his seat next to Jill and replied "Yes, sir" to the Lieutenant and exited.  
  
Back on the Black Dream's flagship, Nanai finished ordering her men to paint the second Nuremburg the color of Sanders' choice. The door to her room slides open. She steps in and lights a bunch of candles with matches. She then walks into the middle of her room where a chess table sits. On one side are the black pieces. Underneath their side of the table it's labeled "Earth Federation". On the side with the white pieces, various names are labeled on the board . . . the names of Johnny Ridden and others are on the pawns . . . on the queen its labeled Admiral Constatine . . .  
  
Nanai takes a label and with a smile she places it down on a knight. The label reads "Sanders".  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	6. The Threat of EXAM

Two Men, Once Force Chapter 6: The Threat of EXAM  
  
A full day has passed. Things seem to have calmed down, but the tracer on the Black Dream's ship has disappeared, leaving Londo Bell staggered in their war effort. Sanders is now decked out in one of the Black Dream's ragtag looking uniforms.  
  
"Who's that?" Sanders asked, looking through a glass into a medical room.  
  
"That's our top pilot," Nanai answered.  
  
"He doesn't look too good."  
  
"Sure, doesn't look too good, but he's in the best of condition."  
  
"I don't know . . ."  
  
"You know the condition of Zum, don't you, Mr. Sanders?"  
  
Sanders is dumbfounded for a second, but realizes Nanai's point. "HE did that?"  
  
"You bet. He's a monster in battle. An unstoppable force."  
  
"Jesus . . ."  
  
"This way to the Mobile Suit deck."  
  
The walk into it and over to the Nuremburg which is now painted a pale white and silver color.  
  
"You like?"  
  
"This is for me?"  
  
"Of course. We wouldn't have you here unless we couldn't give you the best. You're the Black Dream's knight in our crusade against the Federation."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
They leaped into the zero gravity and floated up to the head of the Nuremburg. Sanders' face reflected in the eye of the monster of a machine. A devilish grin appeared on his face. Soon, it would be time.  
  
A few Londo Bell soldiers were escorted to a train inside Side 3's 24 Bunch. Among them were Philip and Yazan. There was so much silence that you could hear a pin drop. The situation was odd, but Philip decided to break the longstanding silence.  
  
"So . . ." he asked. "I hear you were a Titan."  
  
Yazan spat on the ground and turned to Philip. "Yeah, so, what's your point?"  
  
"No point. I was a member of the Titans, too."  
  
"Really?" Yazan replied with a certain level of surprise and curiousness in his voice. "Where were you stationed?"  
  
"Kilimanjaro. You?"  
  
"Aboard the Alexandria most of the time. I was all over space."  
  
"Why are you with Londo Bell?"  
  
"Heh, you've got the same need to know everything that the kid has."  
  
"The "kid"?"  
  
"Yuu."  
  
"Hey, I think our captain deserves a little more respect than that."  
  
"Our "captain" is too much of an optimist."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You got an issue with him?'  
  
Yazan fell back in his seat and laughed. "We're arguing over a guy here."  
  
Philip did the same. "Pretty stupid of us."  
  
"No, not of me, kid. Just you."  
  
"So, you've got a problem with me?"  
  
"Only if you have a problem with me," Yazan retorted.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind. I wouldn't want to have to mess with someone like you," Philip said sarcastically.  
  
"You wouldn't want to. Just ask any of these space junkies."  
  
"Space junkies? You don't have much respect for these people, do you?"  
  
"Kid, I don't have much respect for anyone."  
  
"That's understood. You don't like being out here, do you?"  
  
"Hell no. I'd rather be home eating a 3 course meal, but the money I get from working the field just doesn't pay enough."  
  
"Money? That's all you care about?"  
  
"Geez, you're just like Kajima, you all have this conscience that tells you that there's got to be more to life . . ."  
  
"I don't have a problem with it. I never said I had a problem with it. I just don't see many guys like you anymore. Not since back then way back in 0087."  
  
"That was the life back then. We didn't have to do shit that wasn't our problem. We lived our lives the way we wanted to."  
  
"I'll admit, it was good back then, but not all good . . ."  
  
"Not again with you and Kajima's conscience for the "better good" . . ."  
  
"No . . . it's something personal."  
  
"Heh." Yazan got up as the train started to slow down. "Forget what I said then."  
  
The train stopped at the colonies governor's office. The two tough guys of Londo Bell exited. On the Ra Cailum, Yuu floated down the halls with Lieutenant Carl.  
  
"You wanted to talk to me, Lieutenant?"  
  
"Yeah, it's about Admiral Noa."  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"Ever since the war with Char and his Neo Zeon ended, he's been acting . . . strange."  
  
"Strange?"  
  
"Yeah, really strange. And it's just gotten weirder and weirder."  
  
"Anything specifically wrong with him?"  
  
"No. But, I was talking with Ensign Kerrigan, and she said that Bright received a medical report from his doctor and he wouldn't show it to anyone."  
  
"Think something's wrong with him?"  
  
"Think? I pretty much know by now that something's wrong with him. I talked with some of the bridge members, and they say that there've been times where he'd act totally act out of character and just walk around like some sort of drone . . ."  
  
"Maybe we should go talk to him."  
  
"No . . . no, I really don't think that would be a good idea . . ."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"The captain's really a closed door if you know what I mean. I wouldn't get in his way."  
  
"But if something's wrong with him . . ."  
  
"Yeah, I know. I'll try talking to the meds on board and see if they can help."  
  
"Alright. Later, Captain Kajima."  
  
Lieutenant Carl drifted off into his room. Yuu glides down the hall and into the Mobile Suit deck where Jill Kerrigan is standing.  
  
"Ensign Kerrigan?"  
  
"Captain Kajima."  
  
"What're you doing out here?'  
  
"Nothing really . . . I'm just bored, sir."  
  
"You should be getting some rest."  
  
"You should be doing the same, sir."  
  
"I guess I should. But . . . whenever I sleep I think about my wife and our child . . ."  
  
"Problems between you two, sir?"  
  
"No, no, not at all. I just haven't seen her in a long time. I miss her."  
  
"Must be nice, having something to go home to after this is all over."  
  
"I'd think someone like you would be married."  
  
"No, sir. I've been in the militia ever since I was 18 and even before that I never had time for men. I've just been too busy all my life . . . I've never even been kissed. Then again, if you saw the chaps back at Londenion, they weren't much to look at, anyway."  
  
"Well . . ."  
  
"You're going to bring up Ensign Hughes, aren't you, sir?"  
  
"Looks like I can't get anything past you."  
  
"He's a nice guy."  
  
"He wasn't always like that. He was . . . well . . . an asshole . . . at s least that's how he puts it."  
  
"Someone like him? I wouldn't be able to see that, sir."  
  
"Yeah, well, that changed a few years back during the Gryps Conflict. During the One Year War, me, him, and a man named Samana Feuris were assigned to the same platoon. During the Gryps Conflict, they were both Titans, and Samana died . . ."  
  
"Oh no . . ."  
  
"And he blames himself for everything and says that if he wasn't such a jerk everything would've been different." Yuu lifts his head and smiles. "Man, I can't believe I'm telling my best friend's life story to a stranger he might have a chance with."  
  
"I never said he had a "chance" with me, sir."  
  
"Of course. That's why you're red."  
  
Jill continues to blush.  
  
"He's a good guy. We made it this far, and we'll make it pass this. After this, I think it's about time I retired from fighting." Yuu released his hands from the railings and let himself float in the zero gravity. "So, Ensign Kerrigan, what do you plan to do after this ends?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't have any plans, sir. I don't have a spouse like you do."  
  
"Well, I'm sure you'll find one."  
  
"I'm sure I will, sir."  
  
"How long is it until Philip, Yazan, and the others get word on whether we can land or not?"  
  
"I don't know. I'm just going to pass the time here, sir."  
  
"I guess that's a good idea."  
  
"What's she like, sir? You're wife."  
  
"My wife . . . she's the most beautiful person I've ever known. I've had the biggest crush on her since high school."  
  
"High school sweethearts . . ."  
  
"Not exactly. She was going out with my best friend, a guy named Frank. We all went to the Federation academy together and became fighter pilots. They got married."  
  
"What happened to him?"  
  
"At Odessa . . . he was shot down. Amy, that's the name of my wife, was praised as the Odessa Eagle for her kill count, but after she heard what happened to Frank, we had no reason to celebrate. A few years after the One Year War ended we bumped into each other, she was bankrupt and the Federation refused to give her any money since she retired right after the war. I took her in and . . . well . . . it just started there . . ."  
  
"I see."  
  
"I'm dying to go home and see her. These wars have taken too much out of my life."  
  
The two looked on at the Mobile Suits. The leg of the Miracle Gundam was repaired for the most part and ready for combat. On the Titanic, Nanai and Sanders open the door to Admiral Constatine's office.  
  
"Major Nanai. And this must be Sanders. I'm Admiral Constatine . . . I vaguely remember you from the funeral."  
  
"Same here, Admiral."  
  
"Your cousin was my best friend. I couldn't have asked for a better leader."  
  
"I'm sure he felt the same towards you."  
  
"Please, take a seat."  
  
The three sat down.  
  
"Everything depends on this conflict now, Sanders. You're part in our war is an important one."  
  
"I know that, Admiral. I'm ready to kill as many as I have to get what I want."  
  
"That's the attitude I need."  
  
"I know what you've been through during the One Year War, Admiral."  
  
"It wasn't just the incident during the One Year War. There's even more after that."  
  
"Yes, you never finished your story," Nanai threw in.  
  
"I suppose I'll fill you both in, then. After the One Year War, I became the head of our forces and became part of the Titans. We were combined with various other forces and were stationed in space. We fought on various fronts against the AEUG and stayed loyal to the Federation, even though they had already backstabbed us. We then received orders to gas Side 2 colonies that supported the AEUG. My men . . . they were all reluctant. I was reluctant. But I did it. We did it. We gassed the colony. It got worse. We were asked to enter colonies and go on a massacre spree. We shot down shuttles and maimed innocent civilians . . . all in the name of the Earth Federation . . ."  
  
Admiral Constatine looked like he was about to cry. He continued.  
  
"After the Gryps Conflict ended, we were the largest remaining Titans force left . . . the Federation abandoned us instead. We were left to be hunted by what was left of the Federation. So, we hid. We hid all of this time while making large amounts of money through various methods. After being disowned, it was the last straw. It was time for justice."  
  
"And here we all are right now," said Nanai.  
  
Sanders stood up. "We're all victims of the Federation, one way or another."  
  
"Yes, yes we are." Admiral Constatine stood up as well. "This is why we must attack and we must attack now."  
  
A soldier knocked on the door.  
  
"You can come in."  
  
"Sir, the Zeldagis is has arrived with the Ginn Dogas."  
  
Nanai smiled. "I think we should give them a test run."  
  
"Are the clones ready?" Constatine asked.  
  
Sanders looked dumbfounded. "Clones?"  
  
"The Jinn Dogas as well as the Regalus is equipped with the EXAM system. We found a blueprint of the plans on Axis asteroid as well as a heavily damaged version of the machine in Side 5 space. Also in Side 5 space, we found a badly burnt finger."  
  
"A finger?'"  
  
"Yes. It was burnt, but it was preserved in space. We assumed it was the pilot of the machine. We've created some clones of this pilot to pilot our Jinn Dogas in battle."  
  
Admiral Constatine sat back down and gained the attention of everyone. "Everyone to their battle stations. We're going to test these Jinn Dogas."  
  
The alarms on the Ra Cailum suddenly went off.  
  
"Everyone to their suits!" Bright screamed. "Where's Captain Kajima?"  
  
A screen pops up, showing Yuu in the Miracle. "Yes, sir?"  
  
"Have the techs launched the Lionheart yet?'  
  
"Yes, sir, it's flying towards the colony."  
  
"Hopefully Yazan got out message and will rendezvous with you as soon as possible. Good luck."  
  
"Thank you, sir. Yuu Kajima out!"  
  
The Miracle Gundam launched with a legion of Jegans into battle. Jill's Jegan shot forward and avoided enemy fire. The two ships of the Black Dream were visible.  
  
"Why won't they use their stealth?" Jill asked.  
  
"Probably because only one of them has the ability to. The other one would be vulnerable then."  
  
The fighting began. The Geara Dogas went down easy.  
  
"Something's not right . . ." Jill said to herself. "Why are there so few?"  
  
"Yeah, you're right . . . what's going on?"  
  
On the deck of the Titanic, the grey and silver Regalus waited. "It's almost time . . ."  
  
A sudden wave of fire blew up two Jegans. About 7 black Mobile Suits rose and began to deal major damage to the Londo Bell fleet.  
  
"What the helll?!" Yuu screamed.  
  
The Jegans could hardly follow the enemy suits. These black suits moved so fast they merely appeared as a blur. They were impossible to follow. Yuu could barely lock on to them but got off some decent shots, but not good enough to hit them.  
  
"What the hell? What the hell is going on?!"  
  
Jegans fell one by one. The suits then began advancing on the Ra Cailum.  
  
"Everyone! Be careful! These aren't your normal suits!"  
  
One of the suits suddenly shot at Yuu. Yuu dodged the attack. The black suit clashed against the Miralce with its heat sabers. Yuu swung his beam saber and parried the attack. He studied the battle. Studied the movements. These attacks brought a sense of déjà vu to Yuu. Yuu was the only one who was able to keep up. The black suit lunged forward with a stab. Yuu dropped his altitude and rose with his beam saber extended and sliced the suit in half.  
  
"YUU!" a female voice screamed.  
  
"No . . . no, it can't be . . . we destroyed all of them, how can it be?!"  
  
Another one of the black suits attacked Yuu with its heat saber. The sabers smacked against each other as the Miracle fought the enemy off.  
  
"The way this person fights . . ."  
  
Yuu swung his saber horizontally. The black enemy thrusted back and aimed its beam machine gun at Yuu.  
  
". . . Nimbus?!"  
  
The Nuremburg launched from the Titanic. "Now, Feddies, let's see what you can do."  
  
Four missiles flew from above. Sanders dodged them. He looked up to see the Lionheart transforming into Mobile Suit mode.  
  
"A new model . . ." both Yazan and Sanders said, as if they were in each other's minds.  
  
Yazan drew his compact beam rifles and aimed them. "This'll be fun."  
  
Sanders grinned and drew his automatic shotguns. The battle was just beginning for them.  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	7. The Revival of Blue Destiny

Before I start, me and my friend did some lineart for Yuu's Miracle Gundam as well as stats:  
  
Two Men, One Force Chapter 7: Revival of the Blue Destiny  
  
The Nuremburg and the Lionheart exchanged and dodged each other's fire evenly. Sanders simultaneously fired his automatic shotguns and overhead cannons. Yazan dashed to the right avoiding the attack and launched a volley of beams of his own. The Nuremburg spun out of the way. The Lionheart fired the rest of its missiles in its shoulder cannon while the Nuremburg attempted to scurry out of danger.  
  
Sanders pulled back and pressed hard on the triggers for his shotguns. "Let's see how good you really are!"  
  
Yazan swiftly transformed into MA mode and flew up, escaping the attack. He switched back into MS mode and aimed his rifles. The Nuremburg fired its overhead cannon, striking the compact beam rifle in the Lionheart's left hand.  
  
"Son of a bitch . . ."  
  
"This is it!"  
  
The Nuremburg released all 4 of its missile pods, releasing a legion of smaller missiles. Yazan's eyes widened in surprise. The missiles collided against a target and erupted into a gigantic explosion.  
  
"That's what you get!"  
  
Sanders surveyed the damage, and soon realized that there were no mechanical parts.  
  
"He left decoys . . . ?"  
  
The Lionheart in MA mode fired its beam cannons leaving Sanders with little time to dodge. The beams singed the back of his legs.  
  
"That was too close . . ."  
  
The Lionheart transformed back into MS mode and released its heat katana. The Nuremburg pulled its heat swallow (double sided blade) off of its back and ignited it with heat energy. The two suits stood still for a second. Then, the Nuremburg shot forward and swung its heat swallow with Yazan defending. The two suits swung and defended with their melee weapons at close range with amazing speed. They were both the complete Mobile Suit swordsmen. Masters of the style. The quick striking, defending, and ability to anticipate the other's next move exemplified the years of experience that they had.  
  
The two struck each other with a magnificent force and pressed against each other. Sanders was in shock. "I didn't know Londo Bell would have such a veteran . . ."  
  
"This guy . . . he's too much . . ."  
  
The suits backed away from each other. Yazan and Sanders both took deep breaths, but stayed focused. The fighting would continue very soon.  
  
The black-clad suits of the Black Dream had eliminated a good amount of Jegans, but only two of them had been shot down.  
  
"Nimbus . . . how can they all be Nimbus?!"  
  
The Miracle Gundam watched as the suits retreated after doing a good amount of damage. It was obvious that this was a warning sign. Yuu struck his control console.  
  
"How the hell did they get EXAM?! We destroyed them all!"  
  
The Nuremburg went into a battle-ready stance. Sanders was ready to fight. "Ready to go?"  
  
"Sanders!" screamed a female voice from his speaker.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Retreat back. We're going to send Johnny Ridden and the Regalus out. Remember, this battle was meant to be a warning sign to Londo Bell."  
  
"Dammit . . . alright, I'm returning to the Titanic." He looked at the Lionheart. "I'll see you later."  
  
The Nuremburg feinted into looking like it was going to attack and the Lionheart swung its heat katana but hit nothing but air. Sanders swiftly retreated back to the Titanic, which was backing away.  
  
"Yeah, run away!" Yazan put away the heat katana. He returned and met with the other suits around the Ra Cailum. Yuu contacted him.  
  
"The Ra Sierra's taken some heavy damage. It's going to take some time to prepare."  
  
"Did you see that guy I was fighting?!"  
  
"No . . ."  
  
"It was the same one you fought, except a different color. This guy was no joke. He's a fighter. This war looks like it can be fun . . ."  
  
"Something's coming!" Jill screamed.  
  
"What is it?" Yuu asked.  
  
"One Mobile Suit. Coming in fast!"  
  
The Jegans, Lionheart, and Miracle Gundam loaded their weapons and waited. A sudden blur past them by and crashed into a Jegan which was quickly dispatched of. The blur stopped and revealed itself as a crimson red and blue Mobile Suit.  
  
"What the hell is that?" Yuu screamed.  
  
Yazan aimed his last compact beam rifle. "Whatever it is, it's gonna' kick your ass if you're too busy whining!"  
  
Johnny Ridden stared at his enemies all ready to take him apart. But he wasn't ready to let them happen. "SIEG ZEON!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. The Regalus became a blur once again. All of Londo Bell's Mobile Suits fired a frenzy of attacks. Not one hit the Regalus.  
  
Yuu threw away his twin beam rifle and pulled out his compact machinegun. "EXAM . . . only EXAM is capable of this!"  
  
Jegans went up in flames. No one was able to hit the enemy. The Regalus stopped for a second and became targeted, but it flew out of the way and released a volley of rockets from its overhead cannons.  
  
"Argh! That's it!" Yuu screamed.  
  
"Kid, get back!"  
  
The Miracle dashed forward towards the Regalus with its machine gun and beam saber and hacked away. The Regalus fought back with its beam saber. They began clashing back and forth with their sabers, but the Regalus was too fast.  
  
"Major Ridden!"  
  
"Yes, Rear Admiral Kycilia?"  
  
"Pull back, we're done here."  
  
"Have the Jinn Dogas planted the microwave mines on the colonies?"  
  
"Yes, you covered their efforts well. Please return."  
  
Nanai turned her screen off and turned around, where Sanders was standing.  
  
"Microwave mines?"  
  
"Yes, microwave mines."  
  
"I didn't here you tell the Admiral about that."  
  
"It's a surprise, Mr. Sanders. The fun is just beginning."  
  
The Regalus retreated, leaving Yuu in a Miracle Gundam left in bad shape.  
  
"EXAM . . . Marion . . ."  
  
The Ra Cailum was now docked inside Side 3's 24 Bunch. Bright Noa, Yuu Kajima, Yazan Gable, Jill Kerrigan, Philip Hughes, and various other members of Londo Bell sat around on the upper level of the bridge.  
  
"Are you sure that was it?" Philip asked.  
  
"I'm sure," Yuu responded. "Only EXAM is capable of that. Those attacks coming from those black Mobile Suits . . . it felt so much like I was fighting Nimbus again . . ."  
  
Bright scratched his head. "What are the capabilities of this EXAM?"  
  
"Chaos" Yuu answered. "But . . . the only way to beat EXAM is to use EXAM. There's no way we're beating anyone without having an EXAM unit of our own."  
  
"I've never heard of this weapon . . . but, maybe Anaheim has an answer?"  
  
"Or something just as powerful. I need to go back to the moon. The trip will take about a day."  
  
"Permission granted. Take Yazan, the Miracle Gundam, and the Lionheart with you. If anything, the Black Dream got all of this equipment from Anaheim."  
  
"But sir, you'll be defenseless."  
  
"We don't plan on leaving the colony. Besides, we need time to repair the Ra Sierra and the communications. Try to get in touch with the Earth Federation and tell them about our status."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
The Titanic and its accompanying ships were now all together deep out in space.  
  
"I don't agree with you on this one, Major Nanai."  
  
"It's just like blowing up a colony, Admiral."  
  
"I didn't agree much with that either!" Admiral Constatine spat. "But . . . microwave bombs? You plan on cooking these people into a bloody mess?!"  
  
". . . Why not."  
  
"Why did you have them planted without telling me."  
  
"Because I knew you'd disagree."  
  
"What do you plan to do with them?"  
  
"We have Londo Bell on the run. They're probably hiding in a colony. We can use the mines as a negotiating weapon."  
  
"Negotiating weapon?"  
  
"Yes, we set one off and fry all the people in a colony and say that we'll set more off unless they don't leave the colony."  
  
"I don't agree with this move, Ms. Nanai . . ."  
  
"Come on, what's your problem? We're just killing a few million people . . . for the good of justice, of course."  
  
"Kintaro, forgive me . . ."  
  
"You're asking a dead guy for forgiveness?"  
  
"He wouldn't want us to turn back to genocide!"  
  
"You did for the Titans!"  
  
"We did that to attempt to redeem ourselves!"  
  
"Well, you're doing this to redeem yourselves, too. At least you'll have your pride back when you do this."  
  
The Admiral sighed and turned away. "Give me some time to think about this."  
  
"Alright. Just be in ready by the time I'm ready to flick the switch on the mines."  
  
"You . . ."  
  
Nanai leaves the room, leaving behind confused Admiral Constatine.  
  
Meanwhile, Sanders entered the hospital area where Johnny Ridden was. He sat down next to him. Ridden was frolicking around by himself.  
  
"You're a complete psycho . . ."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Who are you?" Sanders asked in a very innocent voice.  
  
"I am Major Johnny Ridden of Neo Zeon!"  
  
"Right . . ."  
  
"You must be Major Sanders. It's an honor to meet you."  
  
"Yeah, I guess . . ."  
  
"What are you here for, Major?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing . . . I was just bored . . . just tell me more about Zeon . . ."  
  
"We re dedicated to rebuilding the Principality of Zeon with Kycilia Zabi as our leader!"  
  
"Kycilia Zabi?"  
  
"Yes, our leader."  
  
Sanders sat back and thought for a second. He began to catch on why Nanai changed her hair color.  
  
"So . . . you are good friends with this Kycilia Zabi?"  
  
"I would like to think that I am."  
  
"I saw you pilot that Mobile Suit . . . are in any condition to be piloting at all?"  
  
"Truthfully, no. I can't think when I'm in a Mobile Suit or concentrate . . . but they built in this machine called EXAM. It helps me put my skills to the work and helps me stay in control . . . I sometimes go . . . go . . ."  
  
Suddenly, he begins babbling various words and starts screaming. Doctors and nurses rush into the room and give him an injection. Sanders makes his way out of the room.  
  
"That guy . . . he's a complete nutcase . . ."  
  
Around 12 hours have passed. A small ship docks at Von Braun. Yuu and Yazan meet up with October.  
  
"Captain Kajima and Captain Gable, what brings you here?"  
  
Yuu stepped forward. "We want to know if you supplied the Black Dream with any weapons."  
  
"Of course we did."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?!"  
  
"You never asked."  
  
"That's not a good answer."  
  
"Listen, we only take care of the contracting here. None of that is our fault."  
  
"Liars. You just want to run your monopoly up here on the moon, safe from the battlefield."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't call what went on between Londo Bell and the Black Dream above here "safe from the battlefield".  
  
Yuu sighs. "You should at least be good enough to tell us what the hell they were building."  
  
"Aside from the new Geara Dogas, they made an advanced model. All black. They're called Jinn Dogas. They made quite a few of them."  
  
"Dammit . . ."  
  
"Yep. And they also ordered a whole lot of other equipment. They didn't say what they were going to do with it, but I took a look at their blue prints while they were looking away and made some copies."  
  
"Made some copies?"  
  
"It's going to cost you, though."  
  
"Cost us?!"  
  
"You've got to get your government to pay for all the damages that we took during that battle."  
  
"You idiot! There's a war a going on!"  
  
"And war is hard business."  
  
"Argh . . . we'll see what we can do . . ."  
  
"I suppose I can give you a glimpse of these copies . . . now, where did I store them?" October searched through a bunch of papers. "Ah, here it is." He hands them to Yuu and Yazan.  
  
"The Regalus and the Nuremburg?"  
  
"Yeah. Pretty good I might add."  
  
"Alright, I've got one more question."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"Did you supply them with EXAM?"  
  
"EXAM . . . nope. Never even heard of it."  
  
"Liar!"  
  
"Listen, if I knew what you were talking about, I'd tell you."  
  
"He talking about Project Blue," a man said, walking up to them. Yuu turned to this man, immediately recognizing him.  
  
"Captain Alf Chamra?"  
  
"It's just Dr. Alf Charma, now. It's been awhile, Yuu Kajima."  
  
October looked at the two. "You two know each other?"  
  
Chamra smiled. "This is core of Project Blue. The man who harnessed EXAM and brought it to its limits."  
  
October looked over at Yuu. "Really . . ."  
  
"I don't have much time!" Yuu exclaimed. "Those Jinn Dogas and that Regalus is equipped with EXAM. We can't beat them without having an EXAM of our own."  
  
October and Dr. Chamra looked at each other and then back at Yuu. "Fine. But, we're only letting one go."  
  
". . . Good enough." Yuu answered. "I brought the Miracle Gundam with me. I want EXAM installed."  
  
"Let's go take a look at it then, shall we?"  
  
On the Titanic, Sanders and Nanai stayed on the bridge, watching Mobile Suits return to the ship, most notably, watching the Jinn Dogas.  
  
"So let me get this straight. Those Jinn Doga pilots, they're all clones?" Sanders asked.  
  
"I thought we went through this before."  
  
"Go through it again. I wasn't exactly paying too much attention the first time around."  
  
Nanai sighed with a long smile on her face. "Yes. The Jinn Doga pilots are clones. We decided that the best pilots that could handle EXAM were the ones who've already mastered it. A man, names Nimbus Schatzen, died in battle a long time ago in an EXAM unit. We were lucky enough to find a burnt finger. Badly burnt, but it fit our purpose."  
  
"And through that you started making these clones of this dead Nimbus guy?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But . . . how do you get them to grow so fast?  
  
"The power of science," Nanai replied "Advanced growth formulas and test tubes let us turn an infant to a man in less than a year. Amazing, isn't it?"  
  
Sanders shook his head and walked away.  
  
"What? What?" Nanai asked. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing that someone who isn't a real soldier can understand."  
  
October, Yuu, Yazan, and Dr. Chamra went deep into Anaheim and went to the lowest floor and entered an area that needed code clearance.  
  
"This is the forbidden area. Only us with code clearance can get in here."  
  
They walked in and looked around. It was a museum of things."  
  
"The RX-78-2 Gundam?"  
  
"A complete replica," said October. "It's a classic. Some of us look at it when we need inspiration.  
  
They looked around at various machines. One caught Yazan's eye and he dashed over to it as fast he could and stared at it in wonder and awe.  
  
"The Zeta Gundam?!"  
  
"Our finest creation. It was wrecked during the conflict with Neo Zeon, but we found it wrecked and fully restored it. We can't use it though . . . if someone like the first pilot rose again, who knows what damage this thing can do in the wrong hands . . ."  
  
The continued down the hall."  
  
"Here it is!" Chamra shouted.  
  
There stood GM Blue Destiny Unit 1, Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 2, and Gundam Blue Destiny Unit 3.  
  
Yuu merely stared at them. Yazan spat at them, not as eager as his partner.  
  
Dr. Chamra fixed his glasses and glanced over at Yuu. "We'll need some time. About two hours to revive the spirit of Blue Destiny."  
  
"Doctor . . . can you promise me something?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"That after this, we can destroy all the Blue Destinies. I . . . I kind of promised someone that it would be done . . ."  
  
"I can't promise anything. People like October can be assholes."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Shut up, October. You're not a part of this conversation." He turned his attention back to Yuu. "We'll debate over your request."  
  
Yuu stared at the three Blue Destiny suits once again. It was time to revive the spirit that has been long dead.  
  
"Marion . . ."  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	8. True Blue

Sorry for the lack of updates, been busy lately. ^_^ And if you've noticed, I have changed my pen name for various reasons.  
  
Two Men, One Force Chapter 8: True Blue  
  
Lieutenant Carl leaped over next to Bright Noa and handed him a sheet of paper. Bright reached over and immediately went over it. "A threat from the Black Dream?" Bright said to himself. Bright mumbled the words while reading for himself. He crumpled the paper up in shock and disbelief. In anger, he shot up and threw it aside.  
  
"What's wrong, sir?"  
  
Bright shook his head. "Get in contact with the Ra Sierra and Ra Kiev. We're leaving the colony."  
  
Terry Sanders was once again wandering the halls of the Titanic. From every door he passed by, he glanced at the names on the door. The one at the end was labeled "Nanai Miguel". He promptly knocked on the door. He waited a short while, and the door slid open with Nanai in her black uniform.  
  
"Mr. Sanders? What're you doing here?"  
  
He gazed into her room and saw various odd things. Nanai quickly slid the door shut.  
  
"Well, Mr. Sanders?"  
  
He gave her a stern look. "Hiding something from us?"  
  
"Now why would I do that?"  
  
"You tell me . . . Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi."  
  
She immediately put on a devilish smile and started walking away. "Come, Mr. Sanders, let's talk about Rear Admiral Kycilia Zabi."  
  
"I'd rather talk about Johnny Ridden," he said in a both angered and curious voice, leaving Nanai in an unsettled position.  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"You're using him."  
  
"And?" she said with a certain amount of cruelty in her voice.  
  
"The guy is a complete nutcase!"  
  
"He was once normal. I was once pretty normal to, you know . . . but then my boyfriend left me for a soul of a 14 year old girl."  
  
"You're using some psycho nut that probably thinks it's still 0079."  
  
"The same way you're using me to get what you want, right Mr. Sanders?" Her crooked smile turned into a grin.  
  
He grunted at her. "You're not a psycho. I don't see you running around calling thin air "Char Aznable"."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
". . . I'm afraid to ask." He thought for a second. "And I don't call what we're doing an abusive agreement. I call it mutual gain."  
  
"I suppose you can call it that."  
  
"And I'm surprised you didn't go all nuts when I mentioned Mr. Aznable."  
  
"In my eyes, he's a traitor, Mr. Sanders. Traitors don't get respect, nor should they deserve it." She sighed. "I did love him, though . . ."  
  
"Whatever," he replied in his usual voice lacking the want for reason and only answers.  
  
"So I'm hoping you have your answers now?"  
  
"Not really. And I'm letting you get away until I do have my answers."  
  
"Okay, shoot."  
  
"Why?" he asked.  
  
"Why? Why what?"  
  
"What's the point of using that guy?"  
  
Nanai looked away from Sanders and smiled once again. She stared out the window, deep into the depths of space. "Mr. Sanders, I thought that would've been obvious. The man is a wrecking machine. Just by asking him, I can have him destroy an entire Side. He's invincible when combined with EXAM . . ."  
  
"And what is this EXAM? He said it was something to keep him from going crazy."  
  
"It's the other way around. It's to make sure he goes on a psycho rampage. Soon, EXAM will become him and he will become EXAM, and as equal partners, they will be the personal fighter for Kycilia Zabi. No single person in Londo Bell can handle him. No one."  
  
"You wanna' bet that?"  
  
She started to fix her hair as if none of this really mattered to her, especially Sanders' opinion of the situation. "I wouldn't mind, actually. Londo Bell's best pilot, Amuro Ray, went down at the end of the last conflict. There will be no stopping us this time. I guarantee you of that."  
  
"You don't talk to the other soldiers much, do you?"  
  
"Not really. Why?"  
  
"The blue nightmares they're calling 'em. And the names fit them."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You're telling me you haven't seen the two new Feddie models? They say one's a Gundam."  
  
"Really . . ."  
  
"I fought the other one. The pilot's tough as nails. Both suits are colored dark blue."  
  
". . . Hence the name "blue nightmares". Such a cliché name for our supposed two biggest rivals."  
  
"So you did know about them . . ."  
  
"What, you're a mind reader now? I try to be as frank as possible, Mr. Sanders. It's not good if everyone knew what I was thinking. My informant aboard the Ra Cailum informed me about the models, but I'm not worried. As long as I have you and Ridden on the front line, we can't be stopped."  
  
"Whatever you say, Kycilia Zabi . . ."  
  
Sanders turned to walk away. Nanai suddenly felt a wave of uneasiness take over her body and threw her sanity of aside.  
  
"Can you feel that, Mr. Sanders?"  
  
"Feel what?"  
  
"That feeling in the air. That . . . oh God . . . what have I done . . ."  
  
She began to fall to the ground. Sanders quickly runs over to her to help her. She pushes him away and brings herself back to her feet.  
  
"It's . . . It's nothing . . ."  
  
"You sure?" he asked, limiting the amount of congeniality he had in his voice.  
  
"Yes. It's just hard being me sometimes . . ."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The Londo Bell fleet was now in space. In a rage, Bright Noa tossed a random object across the lounge. It smacked against the wall and began to float in the zero gravity. Jill shook her head.  
  
"I can't believe it . . ."  
  
The men surrounded Bright Noa and calmed him down. He sat down and put his hands around his head. "We left the colony, and they still set off that microwave bomb . . . those bastards."  
  
Everyone either sat or stood in silence. Bright looked across the room and shrugged.  
  
"Someone make contact with Yuu and Yazan and tell them we need them ASAP." He got up. "Everyone to their battle stations. Expect a heavy attack."  
  
Philip and Jill leave the room. Philip sighs and takes a deep breath. "Looks like we're on our way into a huge clash."  
  
"Quite."  
  
"Quite? What's quite?"  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
". . . Nevermind."  
  
"Have a problem understanding my tongue, Ensign Hughes?"  
  
"No . . . well, umm . . . sort of, no . . . yeah . . ."  
  
She giggles.  
  
"What's so funny?" he asked. Not too happy with the way he was being treated.  
  
"Nothing, nothing . . ."  
  
"And the name's "Philip"." He threw himself against the wall and put his hands behind his head. "I hate formalities."  
  
"Understood."  
  
He shook his head and smiled.  
  
"What?" she asked, curious on what she was doing wrong.  
  
"You need to loosen up a bit," Philip threw in. "You sound a bit uptight."  
  
"I'm just used to talking this way. You talk like you have an issue with it."  
  
"I don't . . . I never said that. I only said you sounded a bit uptight. We're talking off the job, not dogfighting in Mobile Suits."  
  
"I'm not used to talking to people outside of business. I've never had much of a social life."  
  
"Me neither, but that doesn't keep me from being normal."  
  
"Normal? What are you implying?" She put hr hands on her hips and gave Philip a strict look. "That I'm . . . weird?"  
  
"No, no . . . see, you did it again," he said while shaking his head.  
  
"Did what again?"  
  
"You're so serious."  
  
She looks away and smiles. "I guess that's always been an issue of mine . . ."  
  
Bright Noa comes out of the lounge.  
  
"I want you two at your Mobile Suits, now"  
  
"Yes, sir," they both replied simultaneously.  
  
* * * * *  
  
On a small ship making its way from the moon towards Side3, Yuu and Yazan continued to bide their time as they made their way back to the Londo Bell fleet. Yuu came out of the bathroom and swung the door shut.  
  
"Kid, we're being ringed up," said Yazan, handing him a sheet of paper.  
  
"Londo Bell?" He examined it. "They want us back ASAP. How far are we? From there?"  
  
"We're not all that off."  
  
Yuu got up from his seat and eyes his normal suit. "What's the situation over there? I thought they were docked in a colony?"  
  
"You talk too much, kid. Read the rest of the letter and it'll probably answer your question."  
  
Yuu continued reading. His eyes widened in shock. "The Black Dream . . . they just fried everyone in a colony? But how?!"  
  
"Yep. Oven roasted 30 million of 'em. And they threatened to cook more of Side 3 if we didn't get out of there."  
  
"Dammit! How could they?!" Yuu shouted, smashing his fist against the wall.  
  
"Bright expects a battle," said Yazan, ignoring Yuu's "drama".  
  
"Already? Is there a way we can speed this thing up?"  
  
Yazan had immediately felt Yuu was going want to do something either crazy and stupid and responded to it with a deep sigh. "Kid, we're going the fastest now. Just calm down, Londo Bell will hold up until we get back."  
  
"No! If that Regalus or those Jinn Dogas are in that battle, not much is going to be left of that fleet."  
  
Yazan was just about sick and tired of Yuu's complaining. "So then, smart guy, what do you plan on doing?"  
  
"I'm going to launch independently in the Miracle. You can wait until you reach Ra Cailum . . . or whatever's going to be left of it."  
  
"You're crazy, kid. Do whatever you want."  
  
"Fine. I'm gone."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Nanai walked onto the upper bridge area of the Titanic and observed the status of the fleet.  
  
"Ma'am, the Rewloola has arrived."  
  
"Excellent. How many ships will we have for this battle?"  
  
"We have the Rewloola plus the Titanic and 4 out of the 11 other ships. We outnumber Londo Bell for now."  
  
She nodded in satisfaction. "I want the Jinn Dogas in a platoon of their own just like the last time."  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
"I want Sanders at the head of the fleet. After out men have launched, we'll wait awhile and then deploy the Regalus."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The Jegan pilots on the Ra Cailum all prepared for battle.  
  
"You scared?" Jill asked Philip.  
  
"Scared? Scared of what? The enemy?"  
  
"Yeah, I mean, with those aces out there . . ."  
  
"Me? Scared? Hell no."  
  
"To tell you the truth, I'm frightened."  
  
Philip swung his helmet over his shoulder and continued listening as they made their way towards their suits.  
  
Jill brushed through hair and fixed it so that it would fit in her helmet. She looked very depressed. "I've always been frightened in battle. I remember when I was living on Earth and told my dad goodbye before he went into battle. He never came home. Everyday, I prayed that he survived and that he'd come home. But . . . it never happened . . ."  
  
"So, you're dad was a Federal Forces pilot also?"  
  
"No, he was Kalaba." She lifted her helmet and watched her reflection in the glass. "The battle was at Kilimanjaro."  
  
Philip looked heavily saddened for a moment.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing . . . I just lost a friend of mine at Kilimanjaro. That's all."  
  
"Well, then we have something in common."  
  
Philip was now the depressed one, with an incredible wave of sorrow washing across his face. He shut his eyes. ". . . But of all the things, it has to be this."  
  
There's a short silence. Jill smiles.  
  
"I like it a whole lot more when you show how you're really feeling."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You . . . I mean, sometimes you act like a different person. A bit more . . . arrogant."  
  
"Yeah, well, that's what remains of the old me."  
  
"You're a good guy, Philip Hughes."  
  
She leaps up into the lack of gravity and into her Jegan. Philip forces himself to smile and does the same.  
  
The Nuremburg shot out of the Titanic and drove out into space and waited. From afar, Sanders could see the Ra Cailum.  
  
"Just on time . . ."  
  
Slowly, one by one, Geara Dogas launched from the ships and lined up behind Sanders.  
  
"I never used to accept myself as the Reaper . . . but if that's what I'm meant to do, then I guess that's what I'm going to have to go with."  
  
The Miracle Gundam detached from the carrier ship and took off.  
  
"Wait." Yuu heard. He turned around and saw the Lionheart in Mobile Armor mode detach from the carrier ship.  
  
"I knew you'd follow me."  
  
"Save it kid. Ride on the back."  
  
The Miracle got on the back of the Lionheart. At full speed, the Lionheart took off, heading towards what would soon become the battlefield . . .  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	9. Memory

Two Men, One Force Chapter 9: Memory  
  
The Black Dream's fleet approached Londo Bell's at an alarming rate. Hordes of Jegans launched from the Ra Cailum, Ra Sierra, and Ra Kiev. Philip looked at the incoming fleet and aimed his beam rifle. Jill's Jegan stood not to far from Philip's as she expressed her distress at the size of the offensive.  
  
"This is going to be a rough one, Phillip."  
  
"No kidding."  
  
The Black Dream's Mobile Suits drew in and opened fire. Londo Bell's Mobile Suits quickly scattered and spewed beams and all at their opposing suits. Jegans and Geara Dogas fell one by one. The Nuremburg rushed past the Jegans and rushed at one defending the Ra Sierra and drove its overhead cannons into a it and blew it up. The Nuremburg was armed with a missile launcher instead of the usual shotguns. Sanders jolted to the right avoiding as much machine gun from the Ra Sierra as he could. A Jegan approached him, but he jammed his missile launcher into its chest and fired. Uninterrupted now, he fires three swift shots at the Ra Sierra.  
  
"Serves you right!" Sanders shouted.  
  
A Jegan whipped its beam saber out at the Nuremburg. Sanders thrusted up and looked down at the opposing suit. The pilot was Philip. "Get back down here , you bastard!"  
  
Sanders focused his missile launcher on Philip. He launched it and Philip strafes out of the way into safety. Philip launches a volley of shots from his beam rifle which Sanders easily evaded. Philip forced the Jegan's maneuverability to its limit as it fired its beam rifle while avoiding attack.  
  
"Shit, this guy's good . . ."  
  
"Philip!" Jill screamed.  
  
"I'm kind of busy here . . ."  
  
"The black ones!"  
  
"Great. Just great. Yuu, where the hell can you be?  
  
* * * * *  
  
Close to the battlefield, the Miracle Gundam and the Lionheart closed in on the area. Yuu sat back relaxed. He was deep in concentration and kept his cool.  
  
"Yuu . . ." a female voice called.  
  
Yuu immediately recognized the voice. "Marion . . ."  
  
Yuu was now in the middle of a fantasy World among the stars. In font of him was a naked angel capable of many things  
  
"You've woken me back up . . ."  
  
"I tried my best to free you from EXAM, Marion. It's just that . . . so many people want to use you . . ."  
  
"I understand. You didn't wake me up . . ."  
  
"I know . . . but I felt like I have because I have to use you again . . . the Black Dream, they're trying to use you . . ."  
  
"I know. Oh Yuu, you have to save me!"  
  
"Marion . . . I'll try."  
  
"A sad person . . . inferiority complex . . . angst . . . sorrow . . . pain . . . frustration . . . vengeful . . . greed . . . vulnerability . . . I've . . . I've . . ." She threw her head back and forth and clasped her face. Tears ran down her face. Yuu moved towards her.  
  
"Marion?"  
  
". . . I've never seen such a soul so sad. Such a tortured soul she carries."  
  
"Who?"  
  
She removed her hands from her face. "Nanai Miguel . . . I see her from here . . ."  
  
"Nanai Miguel?" Yuu started to think. "Is she the pilot of the other EXAM Mobile Suit?"  
  
"No . . . but the root of our sorrows is at the root of hers . . ."  
  
"But, Marion, who is this? Who is using the other EXAM?"  
  
"I . . . I . . . ugh!"  
  
"Aaaah!"  
  
Yuu shouted and it looked as if the Miracle was about to spaz out.  
  
"Yuu? Yuu?!" Yazan shouted.  
  
"I'm okay. I'm just fine . . ."  
  
"You okay, kid?"  
  
"Yeah . . . I'm just fine."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I'll get you!" Philip screamed.  
  
Philip's Jegan swung back and forth at Sanders. The Nuremburg parried each attack with his heat swallow is if they were nothing.  
  
"God, does anything phase this guy?"  
  
"If I'm the reaper . . . then I guess I don't have a choice . . ."  
  
The Nuremburg's heat swallow crashed against Philip's Jegan's beam saber. They forced the energy of each other's suits into their melee attack and pushed against each other. Sanders quickly switched on his chest vulcans, and shot Philip off.  
  
"You lasted longer than the others, but you're still nothing, boy."  
  
Three Geara Dogas joined in with Sanders in surrounding Philip. Sanders reequipped his missile launcher and launched a missile at Philip. Philip immediately cried for help and jammed his controls in a random direction in desperation. The missile hit the foot of the Jegan and destroyed it. Philip tried to regain control of his Mobile Suit with no avail.  
  
"Dammit, dammit, dammit, you can't do this to me, not now!  
  
"You lasted long, but it's time you went to hell!"  
  
Philip shut his eyes and clutched himself. Three sudden explosions rocked space and shocked everyone in the area. The three Geara Dogas were now nothing but stardust, in their place standing the Miracle Gundam with its twin beam rifle extended, pointing towards Sanders.  
  
"Yuu!" Philip shouted.  
  
"I made it . . ."  
  
Sanders looked down in disbelief. "Londo Bell's getting a lot of luck today . . ."  
  
The Miracle gazed at the Nuremburg. The Miracle again looked like it was going to spas out and lose control.  
  
"God, I can't lose control . . . not now . . . not now . . ."  
  
"Yuu . . ."  
  
"I have to fight!"  
  
"The black ones, Yuu!"  
  
Yuu pulled himself back into his conscious self and realized the Nuremburg was about to attack him. Yuu dodged the attack and any more incoming attacks.  
  
"Philip, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I just got a hold of my MS. I'm retuning to the Ra Cailum."  
  
"Good idea. This guy's mine."  
  
The Nuremburg pulled its heat swallow off of its back.  
  
"No!" a loud voice screamed.  
  
The Lionheart appeared and stopped in front of Yuu. Yazan wore a devilish smile on his face. "This is mine."  
  
"Alright . . . be careful . . ."  
  
The Miracle Gundam grabbed Philip's Jegan and returned it to the Ra Cailum where the techs dragged it in. At full speeds, Yuu blasted into the battle field. In the Miracle's right hand is its twin beam rifle and in its left is its compact machine gun. The battleships of the Black Dream slowly closed in on the battlefield. Yuu picked off a few enemies in a swift wave of attacks. In the heart of the battlefield, he stopped and aimed.  
  
"The Jinn Dogas . . ."  
  
Yuu was suddenly surrounded by four black Mobile Suits, all circling around him at high speeds.  
  
"Nimbus . . . but how? You died. I know you did."  
  
"Yuu!" Marion's voice called. "They're not Nimbus . . . they're merely imposters . . ."  
  
"Imposters? Right . . ."  
  
One of the Jinn Dogas threw itself at Yuu with its two heat sabers. Yuu strafed out of the way and found himself the target of beam machine gun fire. He dropped out of the way and whirled around as the Jinn Dogas followed his lead. He jetted away from them while firing his rifle. The black suits scattered to avoid the attack and then reassembled. Two of the suits thrusted forward and surrounded Yuu. Dozens of beams flew out at the Miracle. Yuu promptly evaded. A Jinn Doga suddenly dropped from above with its heat saber in a stabbing position. The Miracle's left arm swiftly rose and injected loads of machine gun bullets into it. The Jinn Doga floated off, and Yuu finished it off with a shot from his beam rifle.  
  
Yuu took a deep breath as he faced off against the remaining Jinn Dogas. He jerked the Miracle out of a wave of attacks and planted a Jinn Doga with a beam rifle shot, blasting off its arm. With its remaining arm, it jabbed at Yuu with its heat saber. The Miracle Gundam ducked into safety and finished the suit off with another beam shot. The next Jinn Doga opened for on Yuu from below. Surprised, Yuu held his shield up and flew out of the way. The Jinn Doga flew past the shredded shield and was set to attack Yuu with its heat sabers. Yuu attacked first with a beam attack, but the Jinn Doga evaded and dropped its shield, which unleashed a beam attack. Yuu escaped the line of fire ignited his twin beam rifle into a twin beam saber and engaged in a sword fight with the Jinn Doga. He slashed through the torso, setting the black suit ablaze.  
  
The last of the four jumped behind the Miracle and slashed at it. Yuu knocked the heat saber away and launched two missiles from his chest, blowing the Jinn Doga away. The EXAM-delivering pilot breathed heavily after the encounter, but his job wasn't done yet.  
  
The Black Dream's battleships approached the retracting Londo Bell's ships. Yuu shouted and boosted towards them. He dropped under the Rewloola and stopped underneath it. He unloaded a stream of beam attacks into the bottom of the ship, causing massive explosions, engulfing the ship in flames . . .  
  
The Titanic changed its altitude and continued to maintain its rate of fire on Londo Bell.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Major Nanai!" a soldier screamed.  
  
Nanai looked preoccupied. She didn't hear her name being called. She grasped her face in fear.  
  
"Major Nanai . . ."  
  
"The Rewloola . . ." she said. She knew what was going on.  
  
"Ma'am, both the Rewloola and the Recca have fallen. Our battle strength has just dropped 30%."  
  
"Oh God the Rewloola . . . they got the Rewloola . . ." She started to cry.  
  
"Ma'am?"  
  
A wave of anger reached across Nanai's face. She immediately confronted the panel controls for the remaining microwave in the colonies. Without hesitation, she activated them.  
  
The Lionheart and the Nuremburg's onslaught continued above the heavily damaged Ra Sierra. They exchanged blows with their close range weapons. Yazan whipped the Lionheart's katana back and forth against Sanders' heat swallow. Neither man showed any sign of giving into a surrender.  
  
Sanders spat to his side. "Tough fighter . . . this guy . . ."  
  
Yazan sat with his back fully erected and smiled. "I think it's past your death time."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Major Ridden, this is Rear Admiral Kycilia."  
  
"Yes, my lady?"  
  
"There are two strong enemies on that battlefield. The Miracle Gundam and the Lionheart. Your main mission is take them out and then attack the Ra Cailum. Understand?"  
  
"Yes, my lady."  
  
"Good. You are clear to launch major."  
  
"For the glory of Neo Zeon! This is Johnny Ridden . . . launching!"  
  
The Regalus shot out across space into the battlefield. Johnny prepared himself to enter the battlefield, but he watched as the Miracle Gundam fought off another batch of Jinn Dogas. Within a few minutes, the batch was done with, and only the Miracle Gundam remained.  
  
"Stinkin' Feddie. For Kycilia, I will defeat this enemy in her honor!"  
  
He circled around the perimeter of the Miracle Gundam. Yuu immediately knew something was coming. He dashed to his right and avoided a volley of rockets. The Miracle Gundam turned around and spotted the Regalus. Its overhead cannons locked on to the Miracle and fired. Yuu drove out of the way and fired two missiles of his own from the Miracle's chest. Johnny easily picked the missiles off firing his mega beam rifle at them.  
  
"Is that all you got, Feddie?"  
  
"This one . . . he's using EXAM . . ."  
  
"Yuu . . ."  
  
"Marion?"  
  
"This one . . . he . . . he is . . ."  
  
"Marion?!"  
  
"He's not alive. He doesn't know who he is. He's . . . he's lost. He has no limits. Yuu . . . to defeat him is . . ."  
  
Yuu fired his beam rifle, but Johnny evaded easily and rushed at the Miracle. Yuu aimed, but the Regalus blew the rifle up with his arm-mounted grenade launcher. The Gundam backed away and pulled the trigger of its machine gun. It "clicked", and nothing came out. Yuu threw the machine gun at the Regalus which in turn unloaded another round of rockets from its overhead launchers. Yuu dodged the attack and pulled out a beam saber. Johnny did the same.  
  
"Now this is a battle!"  
  
"Grr . . ."  
  
The jumped at each other. Their beam sabers smacked each other's at full force. Yuu swiftly pulled his back and slashed upwards. Johnny moved the Mobile Suit's arm at an amazing speed, defending and attacking as if he didn't have to think about it. Yuu kept up, unleashing a strong defense. They blasted across the battlefield and came close to the Ra Sierra while they fought. The Regalus moved back and launched its two warheads. Yuu leaped out of the way, but the warheads crashed into the bridge of the already heavily damaged Ra Sierra, turning it into a blinding fireball.  
  
In a rage, Yuu hacked away at Johnny who was barely able to defend. "You bastard! You're gonna' pay for all those people you killed!"  
  
"You . . . !"  
  
"Fight . . ." said a female voice."  
  
"Who is this . . . ?" Johnny asked.  
  
". . . the enemy . . ."  
  
"Who . . ."  
  
". . . who is my enemy?!!"  
  
"Aaaah!!!"  
  
Suddenly, Johnny began to shake violently. The Regalus thrusted back, away from Yuu. Johnny let out a vicious scream. Yuu heard this scream and backed away in fear. The mono eye of the Regalus glowed. In a fierce rage, the Regalus attacked Yuu with constant beam saber slashes. Yuu ignited a second beam saber and struck Ridden's beam sabers with aggressive speed and strength. He laid on an attack with both sabers while Johnny slowly backed off, striking against Yuu's quick attacks.  
  
Yuu slashed at the Regalus with both beam sabers. The crimson red and blue suit veered out of the way of the lethal attack and threw its beam saber at the Miracle, slicing off one of its arms. Johnny ignited his last beam saber and attacked Yuu. Yuu cut back and fired his vulcans, grazing the shoulder of the enemy.  
  
"Marjor Ridden" Nanai screamed.  
  
Johnny suddenly came out of his phase. "God . . . gah . . . what . . . ?"  
  
"Major Ridden! We're retreating. Please return."  
  
"Yes . . . I will . . . I will . . ."  
  
The Regalus turned off its beam saber and escaped, leaving Yuu behind. Yuu watched as the Black Dream escaped the battle, but heavily damaged and leaving an outcome much less of what they expected. Yuu stared in awe at the retreating Regalus.  
  
"Johnny . . . Ridden . . . ?"  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


	10. Raid

Two Men, One Force. Chapter 10: Raid  
  
An officer on the bridge of the Ra Cailum concentrated on the screen in front of him. The bridge was bright and full of life more than it had ever been, but had definitely not been for the better. The atmosphere of extreme chaos was rising and Captain Bright Noa felt it within the depths of his heart. The lone soldier turned to Bright, "Sir, we've begun tracking them."  
  
"Have you got a signal?," Bright asked.  
  
"Yes, sir. We're trying to pinpoint their coordinates right now . . ."  
  
Bright floated over to the officer.  
  
"What do we have?"  
  
"Looks like Side 2, sir."  
  
"Side 2? Do you think they have refuge there?'  
  
"It's a possibility. But, Side 2 at this time is pretty close to the moon. They could be running low on supplies."  
  
"Keep an eye on them."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Bright turns from them and heads to the lounge area where he had promised to meet Yuu and the others. At the lounge, he sees Yuu, Yazan, Jill, Philip, Carl, among other pilots on the Ra Cailum. The restless soldiers floated about in the bright white room. Yazan floated across the lack of gravity biting out huge chunks of two hamburgers as Yuu had grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him to the ground, Bright took a seat among them.  
  
"Are you positive, Yuu?"  
  
"Very, Captain Bright. I was even able to see his face. His name is Johnny Ridden."  
  
"Johnny Ridden . . ." Yazan said to himself.  
  
"He was a huge ace during the One Year War," said Bright.  
  
Philip nodded his head to the side. "How could you not have heard about him, Yuu? He was a big one with a huge kill count. Even better than the Red Comet."  
  
"I don't know . . . the name seems familiar, though. But, I know his name is Johnny Ridden."  
  
"Johnny Ridden went MIA at the end of the One Year War," Bright commented. "I'm surprised that he'd pop up now."  
  
"I can tell you that he's really dangerous. Almost on the verge of killing himself along with everyone else."  
  
"Be careful out there, then. I don't know much about the EXAM system, but from what you're telling me it sounds as dangerous as a real life Newtype."  
  
Bright leaves. Yuu leans back in his seat and stretches. He stares at the bright light on the ceiling, and could almost see Marion, angel wings and all . . .  
  
"Yuu! It's up to you . . ."  
  
"What . . .? Marion?"  
  
"The World! The fate of the future is up to you!"  
  
"Up to me? Why me?"  
  
"This is beyond! Beyond anything else! Fate is in your hands!"  
  
"My . . . hands?"  
  
"With a power like this, it will negate the need for Newtypes, and mankind will rot . . . Yuu . . ."  
  
"But . . . !"  
  
"Everything relies on your actions! Please make the right decisions!"  
  
"Marion!"  
  
Yazan smacks Yuu dead across the face.  
  
"Oww! What did you do that for?!"  
  
"You were talking to yourself, kid. Had to do something."  
  
"Didn't have to smack me so hard . . ."  
  
"Ooh . . . sorry, then . . ." Yazan said sarcastically.  
  
Philip shook his head and took a seat next to Yuu. "What's next for the blue nightmares now?"  
  
"Blue nightmares?"  
  
"That's what everybody's been calling you. Haven't you noticed that people have been staring at you?"  
  
"No . . ."  
  
"Well, they have. They watch you out in battle and give you a look like Amuro Ray came back to life."  
  
"I'm not that good . . ."  
  
"Yeah, you are. You're better than the rest of us."  
  
"I'm just . . . lucky . . ."  
  
"Luck? That's not what I see blazing across space every time I go out there."  
  
Yuu turned his head the other way and sighs. The pale look on his face gave away the fact that he wasn't doing very well. He looked as if he were about to throw up. Philip gave him an odd look and puts his hand on his shoulder.  
  
"What's wrong, man?"  
  
"I'm just . . . homesick . . ."  
  
He gave Yuu a few light smacks on the back with an intent smile. "Suck it up, Yuu. This war will be over before you know it."  
  
"I hope your right . . ."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Meanwhile, the Titanic along with other accompanying ships blazed across the vast darkness of space. Nanai stacked a pile of papers in the conference room. The conference room was fairly large and round with grey walls and a large, round table in the middle. Nanai looked in the mirror and quickly fixed her hair.  
  
"Are they tracking us?" asked Sanders.  
  
"Of course. Just as we planned," answered Nanai.  
  
"I don't trust "Just as we planned", Nanai. Our forces were taken to the scrap heap yesterday."  
  
"Just a simple miscalculation, Major."  
  
"Simple miscalculation?! He shook and slammed his fist down onto the table. The look in his eyes was obviously one of immense fury for the loss of comrades. We lost about 4 ships!"  
  
"We have more." Nanai merely stated.  
  
"Not many more!"  
  
"Will you just shut up?"  
  
"The men are down in the dumps and you know it! How are we supposed to fight this war?!"  
  
"We'll just keep fighting. I don't think it's much of a problem. A battle is a battle. The war isn't over yet."  
  
"I guess you told the Red Comet the same thing before you guys lost, right?"  
  
Nanai rose from her seat in a rage. The fiery glare in her eyes could be noticed from a mile away. "Shut up. Don't you dare bring him up!"  
  
Sanders put on a deceitful grin. "That's what this is all about isn't it?"  
  
"Is what all about?", Nanai asked.  
  
"You're part in the war. All of this is revenge."  
  
"It's called justice."  
  
"There's a difference between justice and revenge. You can trust me to know the difference."  
  
"Didn't I just ask you to shut up, Major?"  
  
"You're not my fleet commander."  
  
"You can be really annoying, you know that? I guess that's why they always insisted on calling you the reaper during the One Year War.  
  
Sanders ignored the comment. "So, what is this "plan" of yours?" he asked, trying to immediately change the subject.  
  
"We've entered Side 2. I expect Londo Bell to follow us in. We'll then proceed to drop this new little toy of mine out."  
  
"And you're new little toy is?"  
  
"Poles."  
  
"Poles?" Sanders asked.  
  
"Yes." Nanai answered with a smile on her face. "Poles."  
  
"I hope this aren't ordinary poles I can stick my jacket on."  
  
"Of course not. These poles are well . . . very interesting. It won't damage the Ra Cailum too much but it'll sure enough stall Londo Bell for a long time. We can then get any remaining supplies from Sweetwater and rendezvous with the rest of our fleet. Then, we're off to the moon."  
  
"You sure this is gonna' work?"  
  
"Londo Bell doesn't even see this coming."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The hanger of the Ra Cailum was a gigantic space filled with Mobile Suits. The technicians readily built and repaired Jegans as quick as they could for the pilots of Londo Bell. Yuu wore his dark blue normal suit and swung into the cockpit of the Miracle Gundam.  
  
"You really are a Miracle, you know that? I guess you're a true member of the Blue Destiny series."  
  
Yuu shut the cockpit. The camera panels turned on. Yuu could see everything on the Ra Cailum's Mobile Suit deck, from engineers repairing to Jegans to pilots getting into simulations. Yuu closed his eyes and concentrated.  
  
"Marion . . ."  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"Marion . . . are you there?"  
  
Still nothing.  
  
"I need to know . . ."  
  
There was still a deep silence.  
  
"I need to know what you meant. I'm just a pilot doing his job . . ."  
  
"Hello, Yuu . . ."  
  
A white light flashed in Yuu's eyes as he felt as he was engulfed into a great vastness. As soon as he had opened his eyes, he was no longer in the cockpit of the Miracle Gundam, but was now floating in space. Across from him was the ever-angelic Marion. Yuu reached out to her, but wasn't able to reach her. "Marion . . . you wanted to talk to me?"  
  
"Johnny Ridden . . ."  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"You two are very much alike . . ."  
  
"Like how?"  
  
"In many ways . . . " the angelic Newtype soul said. "For one, neither of you are Newtypes, but from being in space, may have some weak Newtype traits, I can tell. But more importantly, you both fight for something, You for your family . . . and he for everything that he doesn't have that you do."  
  
"Everything that he doesn't have but I do?"  
  
Marion nods. "Yet, he can't, because the one person he needs is beyond this universe now . . ."  
  
"Beyond . . . this universe? You mean she's dead?"  
  
"Yes. Yuu, you have to make him see, Yuu, that he's fighting for nothing. That the person telling him to fight is not the one he needs . . ."  
  
"I . . . think I can do that."  
  
"You have to. I've seen the future." Marion floats above and over Yuu descends in front of him. "You are not just a pilot, Yuu. This scenario is one where the fate of everything else depends on this. You have no idea how imperative your survival is."  
  
"But, how? I'm just piloting for Londo Bell against the Black Dream. As far as I'm concerned, I don't even understand what the Black Dream wants!"  
  
"It's not what they want, but everything depends on the core of one of their members. She will decide the fate of the Earth is you don't."  
  
"And I'm supposed to stop her how?! I don't even know who you're talking about!"  
  
"Nanai Miguel . . ."  
  
"Nanai Miguel?"  
  
Yuu suddenly faded and fell out of his phase. He woke up in the cockpit of the Miracle Gundam.  
  
"But Marion . . . why me?"  
  
Suddenly, the Ra Cailum shook violently. Yuu shot forward out of his seat and rolled onto the cockpit monitors.  
  
"Oww . . ."  
  
Yuu pulled himself to his feet and opened his cockpit. The Ra Cailum shook hard again and Yuu was thrown out into the zero gravity. He floated across the Mobile Suit deck out of control.  
  
"Got ya' there buddy!" Philip grabbed Yuu's arm and pulled him into the exiting corridor.  
  
"What's going on?!" Yuu shouted.  
  
"I don't know! I was coming here since you said you'd be here and stuff just began to go all crazy!"  
  
A loud crash could be heard. Philip fell onto the ground and Yuu was tossed across the long, white hallway and collided into Yazan and fell on top of him.  
  
"Ah! Get off of me kid!"  
  
He threw Yuu off of himself and pulled himself back to his feet. Yuu did the same.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Don't know, don't care. All I know is that it's butting into my sleep."  
  
"Let's try to get to Bright."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Philip gestured towards a different direction. "I'm . . . I'll be there in a second. I'm going to check something out."  
  
"Right . . . tell her I said hi."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Yuu and Yazan went to the bridge where multiple soldiers and crewmen were already standing.  
  
"Stop! Stop the engines! It's only making it worse! Tell the other ships to do the same!"  
  
The thrusters of the Ra Cailum and its fellow ships all had shut down one by one. The atmospheric chaos now turned into a collage of anarchy. At one moment, it was as if the soldiers of Londo Bell screamed out in confusion, and then, everything was suddenly quiet. Bright stood up in the midst of this and stood next to one of the operators.  
  
"What in the World was that just now?!"  
  
"I've got no clue. But, something powerful was pulling the Ra Cailum and the other ships off course and towards something. It seems some of our equipment isn't working either. It's like a giant magnet just started pulling on us."  
  
"A giant magnet?"  
  
"If it was, though, it must've been a really big one . . . or a really powerful one . . ."  
  
"Are we investigating?"  
  
"We're on it, sir."  
  
* * * * *  
  
About an hour had passed. Bright turned to the rest of the crew and pilots. "Go get some sleep. It looks like we're going to be here for some time."  
  
The men turned around and went back to their rooms. Yuu and Yazan remained on the bridge.  
  
"What the hell was that?" Yuu asked.  
  
"Don't throw you're rhetorical questions at me, kid, 'cause I don't have a clue. I say you should get some sleep, it doesn't look like you've gotten any for days."  
  
"Nice to see that you care," Yuu said sarcastically.  
  
Yazan wore an evil smile. "Heh, I'm rubbing off on you."  
  
"Yeah, right. The Ra Cailum is vulnerable now. I'm going to stay up a bit more."  
  
"Whatever, you're loss."  
  
Yazan left Yuu and headed towards his room. A crewmember in a normal suit leaped onto the bridge.  
  
"Sir."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"We found some foreign objects outside, sir. They're like giant poles."  
  
"And that's what's holding us back?"  
  
"They're like giant electromagnets, sir. It's interfering with our equipment and it's pulling on the ships. Give us some time to take them apart and disable them."  
  
"Understood. You're dismissed, soldier."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
Bright jumped back into his seat and spoke to his operators. "Get a few pilots out there, we're too open to attack. God help us if they attack now . . ."  
  
To Be Continued . . . 


End file.
